Cooke plans to expand in Shetland

Cooke Aquaculture Scotland farms in the west and north of the Shetlands

COOKE Aquaculture is planning to expand its Scottish operations with a proposed new farm in Shetland.

The Canadian owned company has submitted an application for a 2,500-tonne, 12 x 120m circumference cage farm off Fetlar, the Shetland News reported.

The development, at the Wick of Gruting, will cost more than £2 million and provide four, new full-time jobs, said Cooke.

It would be serviced from the existing Uyeasound pier in Unst by a 200-tonne capacity Sea-Cap barge.

Smolts would be delivered via a wellboat and fish would be harvested dead haul and landed at Cullivoe in Yell.

Cooke said it would treat any sea lice infestation with a dedicated hydrolicer unit, which is based in Mid Yell.

‘As an alternative, the in feed treatment Slice (emamectin benzoate) and bath treatments via tarpaulin or well boat delivery are also available to Cooke Aquaculture Scotland should the appropriate discharge licences be granted,’ it added.

An environmental impact assessment has already been carried out to examine the possible effects of the salmon farm.

Scottish Natural Heritage found that ‘interests of national and international importance on the site’ would not be adversely affected by the proposal.

The environmental report said: ‘Good fish husbandry practices; the use of equipment of a design suitable to site conditions, and the use of a graded predator defence policy, are also strategies that will ensure impacts to species or habitats of conservation importance are kept to a minimum.’

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