**** Proposed Salmon Farm in Dunmanus Bay ****

Please check out www.savedunmanusbay.org for further info,

Below is the letter submitted by the Community Council to SilverKing Seafoods Ltd. in response to the proposed salmon farm.

Muintir na Tíre

Muintir Bháire Community Council Ltd.,

Kilcrohane, Bantry, Co. Cork 

John Power,

Silver King Seafoods Ltd.,

The Pier,

Castletownbere,

Beara,

Co. Cork. 

Dear Mr. Power,

   Muintir Bháire Community Council is a group of twenty-five people representing an area spanning from Kealties to Sheep’s Head.  We believe, as representatives of community members, we should voice local reaction to the recently dispersed scoping letter.  Feedback that we have received indicates that there is a strong feeling against the proposed salmon farm at Dooneen Point for the following reasons:

• Pollution – Studies have shown that sea lice are a pervasive problem in every salmon farm and there is grave concern that this contamination will spread to other marine life in the bay.  Feedback from other sites indicates that a lot of debris from the salmon farm is washed up on the shore. 
• Sheep’s Head is an area of exceptional natural scenic beauty and the recipient of the Eden Award for the Destination of Excellence 2009.  Tourism is essential to the local economy and we believe that the presence of the salmon cages in the bay will have a negative visual impact.
• There is also concern that the presence of the salmon farm will have a negative impact on the livelihoods of twenty-nine local fisherman.  The possible creation of the equivalent of six positions would not compensate for the effect on these families.
• There is serious concern that there will be multiple sites in the bay as Bord Iascaigh Mhara deem Dunmanus Bay suitable for the development of several sites.
• The bay is a traditional scalloping site.  These are filter fish, therefore they are ingesting any toxins/pollutants in the water.

   The above points are a synopsis of the strong opposition that there is locally to your proposal for a salmon farm in the bay. 
 
Deirdre Towns

Secretary (writing on behalf of the Community Council)