Additional Environmental Information Non-Technical Summary
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ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY NORTH ARRAN MARINE FISH FARM Prepared By: Arcus Consultancy Services 7th Floor 144 West George Street Glasgow G2 2HG T +44 (0)141 221 9997 l E [email protected] w www.arcusconsulting.co.uk Registered in England & Wales No. 5644976 Non-Technical Summary North Arran Marine Fish Farm TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 1 2 THE APPLICANT ......................................................................................................... 1 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE REVISED DEVELOPMENT ...................................................... 1 4 ALTERNATIVE SITES AND DESIGN ............................................................................ 2 4.1 Disease Management ..................................................................................... 2 5 GENERAL AQUACULTURE INTERATCTIONS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT ................... 2 6 ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ............. 2 6.1 Benthic (Seabed) Habitats ............................................................................. 2 6.2 Water Column Impacts .................................................................................. 2 6.3 Interactions with Predators ........................................................................... 2 6.4 Interactions with Wild Salmonids .................................................................. 3 6.5 Impacts on Species or Habitats of Conservation Importance ....................... 3 6.6 Habitat Regulation Appraisal ......................................................................... 4 6.7 Navigation, Anchorage, Commercial Fisheries, Other Non-Recreational Maritime Uses ................................................................................................. 4 6.8 Seascape Landscape and Visual Impacts ....................................................... 4 6.9 Social and Economic Assessment ................................................................... 5 7 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 6 Scottish Salmon Company Arcus Consultancy Services September 2020 Page i Non-Technical Summary North Arran Marine Fish Farm GLOSSARY ABBREVIATION DESCRIPTION BAP Best Aquaculture Practice CAR Controlled Activities Regulations DMA Disease Management Area EIAR Environmental Impact Assessment Report EMP Environmental Management Plan GVA Gross Value Added HRA Habitats Regulations Appraisal ISLMP Integrated Sea Lice Management Plan LCA Landscape Character Assessment NAC North Ayrshire Council NTS Non-Technical Summary NSA National Scenic Area PMF Priority Marine Feature SAC Special Area of Conservation SEPA Scottish Environment Protection Agency SLA Special Landscape Area SLVIA Seascape and Landscape Visual Impact Assessment SNH Scottish Natural Heritage SPA Special Protection Area SSC The Scottish Salmon Company Arcus Consultancy Services Scottish Salmon Company Page ii September 2020 Non-Technical Summary North Arran Marine Fish Farm 1 INTRODUCTION The Scottish Salmon Company (‘SSC’) has applied for a variation to the planning permission to build a new marine fish farm of reduced scale, to be known as North Arran (‘the Revised Development’) comprising of 12 x 120 m circumference fish pens and associated infrastructure to the north-east of Arran (‘the Site’). The Environmental Impact Assessment Report (‘EIA Report’) and the Additional Environmental Information Report (‘AEI Report’) accompanies the application for the Revised Development. The Scoping process was undertaken in early 2019 with the Scoping Opinion received on the 1st May 2019. Issues raised through the scoping process have been addressed in full in the EIA Report to specifically identify where significant effects on the environment may occur, in relation to the original site layout of 20 x 120 m circumference fish pens (‘the Proposed Development’), and propose mitigation measures as appropriate. Issues raised further to the EIA Report, following submission, have been fully addressed in the AEI Report following the Revised Development. This Non-Technical Summary (‘NTS’) is an update to the previous NTS submitted with the EIA Report in August 2019 and is intended to be read alongside the variation application and associated figures, maps and plans for the Revised Development. 2 THE APPLICANT There is no change, the description of SSC remains the same as described in the NTS, submitted in August 2019. 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE REVISED DEVELOPMENT The Revised Development would be located off the north-east coast of the Isle of Arran in an expanse of open water in the Firth of Clyde as illustrated in NTS Figures A1 and A2. NTS Figure A3 compares the Proposed Development with the Revised Development. The Revised Development has been reduced in number of pens from 20 x 120 m circumference pens, as submitted in August 2019, to 12 x 120 m circumference fish pens with associated infrastructure. The pens would be held in two groups of 6, orientated parallel to the coastline. The two groups of 6 are symmetrical either side of the feed barge, with a total surface area of 13,753 m2, reduced from 22,922 m2 as per the Proposed Development. The total moorings area would be approximately 1 km2. A proposed production cycle was based on 5,000 tonnes (‘T’) for the Proposed Development. Following changes to the Revised Development, an updated production cycle based on 2,300 T maximum standing biomass is expected. As was the case with the Proposed Development, the Revised Development would operate for 22 out of every 24 months as stated in the EIA Report. The proposed harvesting and processing to take place at SSC’s Ardyne and Cairndow sites respectively is unchanged from the EIA Report. Following the Revised Development, enhanced management measures now exclude the SeaSpine. SSC continues to recognise good practice through their dedicated team of biologists and veterinary services throughout the lifetime of the Revised Development. As such, an updated Environmental Management Plan (‘EMP’) has been produced in line with the Revised Development. As part of the development plans, SSC is looking to recruit an additional six full-time equivalent members of staff in the area which would support 31 supply chain jobs and six wider economy jobs across Scotland with a total Gross Value Added (‘GVA’) for the Scottish Economy of over £5.9 million per year. Scottish Salmon Company Arcus Consultancy Services September 2020 Page 1 Non-Technical Summary North Arran Marine Fish Farm 4 ALTERNATIVE SITES AND DESIGN As described in the previous NTS submitted in 2019, SSC supports sustainable growth across the west coast of Scotland and the Outer Hebrides. In particular SSC is looking to balance its production both geographically and by generation in order to utilise existing infrastructure and to offer a consistent supply of fish to customers. SSC has considered a number of alternative locations for deploying or expanding marine fish farming facilities. Following the submission of the EIA Report, discussions with key consultees were undertaken to advise an acceptable development layout. As such, the Revised Development has been informed by a number of factors through an iterative design process. The guiding principle of the Revised Development has been to deliver sustainable growth through improved stock welfare, with the key objectives including improving fish health and welfare; • Operating securely in higher energy sites; • Enhancing the safety of SSC staff, visitors and equipment; and • Ensuring environmental impacts are assessed, mitigated and monitored. The Revised Development would continue to offer a significant opportunity to become an exemplar of lowering environmental impact per tonne of production. 4.1 Disease Management The Revised Development remains outwith any current Disease Management Area (‘DMA’). As such, there is no change to this Section of the updated NTS as describe previously. It is therefore demonstrated that the Revised Development does not cause a risk to either the extent or management of existing DMAs, rather a risk is created when the proposed sites are also considered. 5 GENERAL AQUACULTURE INTERACTIONS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT Further to the submission of the EIA Report, consultation with individual statutory consultees has been undertaken to agree the layout of the Revised Development and provide additional information on the areas that required further assessment. Where consultees have requested specific information, surveys or reports, SSC have provided these as Technical Appendices to support the submission of the variation application for the Revised Development. 6 ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS Potentially significant environmental effects have been re-assessed in line with the Revised Development and are outlined below. 6.1 Benthic (Seabed) Habitats There is no change; effects predicted on Benthic (Seabed) Habitats in relation to the Revised Development remain not significant. 6.2 Water Column Impacts Data was indicative of a moderately flushed site, typical of an open location, which was considered suitable for a development of the size and nature proposed. The Site was characterised by low tidal current velocities, but with a strong forcing effect from meteorological conditions. Results of the then monitoring indicated that there was low resuspension