Yesterday it became known that Vestland County Municipality win no to a planned fish farm at Skjelanger in Alver municipality in Nordhordland.
Blom Fish Farming wanted close down two older plants at Radøy and move production.
The protests were strong, including from neighbors and nature conservation organizations.
Testing oil platforms
The Norwegian Coastal Administration recently received the case on its table. This led to an abrupt halt to the plans. But not out of consideration for nature.
They state that the Mangersfjord must be open to both ships and oil platforms:
The Norwegian Coastal Administration believes that the planned aquaculture facility will be in direct conflict with the activity from oil installations that sometimes take place on the Mangersfjord.
The fjord is in the vicinity of Mongstad, and is among other things important for testing oil platforms and larger trailers, according to the decision.
The county municipality believes that it has nothing to do with proceeding with the case or to deal with environmental consequences more closely:
“Further handling of the application in other administrative bodies will not lead to any other result”, Vestland County Municipality writes in a letter to the breeder.
OIL MORE IMPORTANT THAN FARMING: Here, Blom Fiskeoppdrett wanted a new facility, but the Norwegian Coastal Administration rejects the application for inspection of oil installations.
Photo: Cato Heldal Kristensen / NRK
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– A bit of a paradox
The Nature Conservation Association in Nordhordland is one of the organizations that has fought against the establishment of the facility at Skjelanger.
They have argued with the supervision of the wild axis and other environmental considerations. But none of them are considered when the Norwegian Coastal Administration has set foot down.
The tenant in the local team, Jan Nordø, has a bit of mixed feelings, but rejoices over the rejection.
– It’s a bit of a paradox. It is comical then, but we are happy with the rejection, says Nordø.
He thinks the rejection is very strong when it is precisely the supervision of the oil industry that is being highlighted.
– That industry has a very strong voice, so we think it will be difficult to reach out with a complaint from the breeder, says Nordø.
Was large majority for breeding
A large majority in Alver municipality has facilitated fish farms in this area, through a municipal sub-plan.
There were strong protests against the plan, but the then Minister of Local Government and Modernization Monica Mæland still approved the plan.
– The municipality has made arrangements, but it is the county municipality that has the licensing authority. We are correcting ourselves after other governing powers have now refused, says mayor Sara Sekkingstad (Sp).
– Are new fish farms welcome in Alver?
– With the municipality’s long coastline, we are concerned with facilitating both outdoor life and recreation, and that industries related to the sea can develop.
NRK has tried to get a comment from Blom Fiskeoppdrett after the rejection, but the company has so far not responded.
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