Scalpay Factory
In the general joy and glad surrounding the proposed reopening of the Scalpay factory as a net washing station, I was reminiscing about my involvement in the planning process.I recollect a long, lovely, warm day spent
It was just possible to hear the factory over the noise of running water from a nearby stream beside the objectors house, but rarely have I had such a peaceful, lazy piece of official business.
Which got me thinking about the Planning Permission for the factory, which occurred during a meeting which I Chaired.
Unless I missed a change of use application, the factory hasn't got permission to be used as a net washing station. A major part of such an application would be the discharges from the factory, and from past experience, I know that SEPA will not be quick to come to a decision and will want to see some tight conditions on this site, before issuing a Discharge Consent, which is a pre-requisite for operating.
But a bigger concern, and one that the Council was focussed upon, was the possibility for transmission of diseases into the Western Isles salmon stock. There are obvious cross-contamination issues if nets are being moved between the mainland and Scalpay, and I hope that these will be fully addressed whenever permission is discussed.
Finally, Scalpay residents might want to consider the potential for noise and smell pollution highlighted when the same company were refused permission for a similar facility in Stromeferry.
Don't hold your breath for this plan to go ahead.
48 comments:
DESTINATION HEBRIDES..........
Our latest attraction just being added in time for the next tourist season.
'Come to Scalpay and see the smell'
(You just can't beat clever marketing)
No surprises here; millions in public money spent on building a processing facility which closes down within a week of Marine Harvest taking over the Stolt operation, and now being handed over to another Norwegian Company who assume that we are so strapped for jobs that they don't need to bother with any of the tiresome consents that locals need.
Whatever happened to local accountabily, innovation, and people with the strength to stand up for a community which is almost on its knees.
The Harris, Stornoway, and Uist fishing fleet is being decimated through high overheads, poor prices for their landings and one species - crab - is barely being exploited as there is no processing facility available within the Islands. This pier and building is purpose built for shellfish processing which would benefit the whole of the Western Isles fleet. Duncan MacInnes and the so called development officers in the Coumhairle and WIE should be ashamed of themselves.
The sheer arrogance of these people astounds me. Here they are, advertising in the Gazzette for a factory manager for an instalation that is currently still a figment of their imaginations. Do they think that they have already smoothed the way with someone in planning, or are they just so cocksure of themselves that they believe that they cannot fail.
These are allegedly ruthless people. They are supposedly known in the Northern Isles as the 'Shetland Mafia'. The whole thing is said to be the brainchild of one known as 'The King of Shetland'. Is this Shetland's answer to Idi Amin?
They must think that we are all buttoned up the back here. No chemicals indeed, I wonder how that would stand up to close scrutiny. With it sitting so close to the Sound of Scalpay, there is only one place that the filthy disease ridden waste liquor will end up, and no amount of Kidology will convince me otherwise. How closely are these other three sites monitored. Are they all run by the one firm?
We don't need anything here that will jeopardise our fishing, tourism and angling businesses, as they have been the only constant source of employment (Other than the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Calmac, WIE and the health board) on these islands.
"Duncan MacInnes and the so called development officers in the Coumhairle and WIE....... "
That's the Labour mafia for you, never mind Shetland mafia
As ever too many fingers in pies
Duncan MacInnes can only respond on the fishermens behalf (much along the lines of an old tired performing sloth) when he hears the git up and go words...... come on boy, QUANGO!
Fortunately for him, when the fishing in the Sound of Scalpay gets closed down through some exotic imported disease, he will once again hear the call to arms. Trebbles all round for the quangoteers and hard lines for the fishermen
Hold on Direach Manky, too many gugas are clouding your brain. We have been here before.
I can remember another Norwegian company running an advert in the Gazette for workers at the net washing station that they were going to open in Arnish. I think they were looking for about 20 employees, guess they must still be looking.
That particular 'exclusive contract' with Marine Harvest was pushed by Donnie Morrison, who was rewarded for his efforts on behalf of Marine Harvest with the position of resident marag maker in chief with Charlie Barley.
The current 'exlusive contract' is being driven by a mafia refugee from the north who had to leave his last employment under the cover of darkness.
will they need a discharge consent if they use recirc and filtration there will be no effluent it can be done
I think Scalpay's the perfect spot. Washing nets by the seashore is kind of biblical and I think the churches would get behind this project. "And, lo, as they washed their nets by the sea shore, a great stench arose from about the third to the ninth hour and the people did say one to another: 'Art thou certain that the necessary planning consents are in place for the smell doth burn within our nostrils and our hands are consumed with scabrous scales'".
It can be done without a discharge with filtration, if you are smoking some hash. The discharge from the end of your splif will help to make the illusion even more believable.
They say that there is no fouling around Scalloway Pier, must be the cold water!
IIRC, even if you plan to have no discharges you still need to get the OK from SEPA that your proceedures and structures are acceptable. Before you get planning permission.
I was speaking to Charlie Barley's right hand man the other day when I was in for the square sausage and he was telling me that marag farming is much more full filling than that of salmon, in fact he said that it was the very spice of life.
The staff and customers are much friendlier and his market just keeps growing and growing. He is expecting to launch a new line in Guga Marag in September next year and is predicting that it will be flying off the shelves and outselling salmon in the United States by 2010.
He says that the young Gugas are taken from a sustainable resource and that the Marags are fed on organic meal and onions.
He also reminded me that the Arnish jobs were only open to Norwegian speaking residents and that Engebret couldn't get another hat to sit tightly enough on his head.
Anyone conversing in the native tongue this time will be dis barred. The applicants will be expected to be fluent in Scallowegian and conversant with pyrotechnics for creating smoke screens.
The Sound of Scalpay should be saved from this fate and drift netting brought back to the fore. Was there ever a healthier bunch than those weaned on herring ?
What's this bit about leaving under the cover of darkness? Are we dealing with a blood sucking vampire here?
Under the cover of darkness.........
well, quite where to begin?
Lets say that the (allegedly) naturally entirely wholesome capitalist introduction of family members in the fishy farming business dealings would have left the Kray twins looking like Dougal and Florence. Just how many aunties, uncles, and grannies can one man have? and quite how do you manage to cater for all their needs?
However the final straw for some was his attempt to introduce to the Scallowegians that ancient and near forgotten mythical pastime of horizontal jogging with staff members. Not only during office hours, but making use of- for purely technical sporting reasons - the office desk.
You have to understand that the purist brethren in the north are totally averse to passing sporting fads such as extracurricular games which involve large items of furniture.
Must go, there's a bonny looking Cheviot lass making eyes at me.
The bible teaches us that the exalted amongst us always have their detractors. Living life on the edge of a pedestal is far from easy.
From what I hear, the so called king certainly knows how to get what he wants. If he uses unorthodox methods to achieve his goals, does that make him a bad person?
I suppose that in big business expectations are high and large employers like the fish farmers will use levers that would not be considered ethical by the rank and file.
Lest we forget however, we already have a functional net servicing facility available in the Hebrides, and the likelyhood is that the employees of this firm will be facing redundancy as a result.
Baksheesh
Main Entry:
Pronunciation:\ˈbak-ˌshēsh,
Function:noun
Etymology: Persian bakhshīsh, from bakhshīdan to give; akin to Greek phagein to eat, Sanskrit bhajati he allots
Date: circa 1760
: payment (as a tip or bribe) to expedite service
In my role as financial and strategic advisor to powerhouses of industry, such as Woolies and Lehman Brothers, I have to report that I have spotted a window of opportunity for Charley Barley in his quest to introduce the Marag to the rest of the civilised world.
However, I have also to point out that much opportunity has already been lost.
You see, the simple but deadly stratagey only requires him to reach an arrangement with Dolly the Fish in Uist for the occasional hire of her van. A modest but not insubstantial grant from the great purse in James Street would allow him to outfit said van as a flying recruitment centre for trainee marag salesmen of an international caliber. The lingering smell of fish will only serve to lull possible clients into a nostalgic false sense of security.
Sadly, he is a wee bit late to visit potential recruitment hot spots such as Loch Skipport, Loch Sheilabheag, Loch a'Liap, and LochMaddy. However, Marybank looks like being fruitful ground as does the remnant of the Fjord empire.
He should of course strive to hit the mainland with a veritable (grant aided, naturally) blaze of publicity and set up a second satellite fish van recruitment centre in the carpark at Cairndow where there will shortly be ample opportunity to unleash new marag salesmen on the world.
The post has just been delivered and I have to deal with an annoying little note from some chap called Freidrikson, it appears he wants me to act as intermediary in recovering £600 million. How could he have possibly misplaced that? I will have to use all my skills and tell him the only solution is to use a bigger jar next time.
My goodness, a few light-hearted back-handers and regular fornication! What a cracker of a job that would be. I never even noticed it advertised in the Gazzette. Was it one for those and such as those?
Maybe need to send for the Scalpay job description, because I could also be up for a bit of this and a bit of that. It might end up being the set for the next instalment of Crowdie and Cream. Did you see it tonight, when the young fella asked for the French Letter and considered getting one for his auntie?
Aye, families indeed, who'd have them?
If you want to undertake an exercise in untangling an incestuous family- complete with financial shenanigans-
google Marine Harvest and look at the Wikipedia entry.
It would make unraveling the constituent parts of Charley Barleys new line of Orgaganic Guga marags look like as easy as playing whist with 51 cards down at the lodge.
Allright you coves, I have the solution!
Marine Harvests current boss (best known to those close to him as Baby Benjamen) is clearly beguiled by the man from the North, our only hope is to offer an acceptable alternative to head off the Norwegian quest to completely capture the west coast.
First stage is for our esteemed Morag Munro to use all her feminine charms and make an approach to him on his next visit to the west coast farms - this should be some time within the next six months.
He can easily be recognised when he hits Stornoway as he is known to frequent (accompanied by a responsible adult) the male products counter in Boots in his endless search for the perfect line in hair gel. An alternative location to find him would be Moss Bross, at the counter where the cute jackets with a pre turned up collar can be found.
The ploy would be for the good women folk of Scalpay to take in and wash the round nets, 3 per house should be enough to keep them on the right side of the bridge for a while. The square ones could be shared between the boys of Ness and Point who are well used to the square go, and the triangular and other assorted shapes could go to the far reaches of Breasclete.
Full employment in the black spots! Just think what a vote winner this would be.
No need for any consents as the waste can easily be flushed down the toilet, which I understand is a process the Scallowegians have recently been perfecting.
The washed nets can be stored beside the peatstacks which are rapidly coming back into fashion. (Note to Engebret: please convey to the Northerners that peat is the very source of non toxic antifouling) The tourists will just be queuing up to take pictures of this frenzy of ethnic activity.
Naturally there will be no smell problem as this can easily be divided between the good chaps in the enterprise company and the council planning department.
Trebbbles all round, again.
My goodness, the Shetland skeletons are fairly rattling around in the cyber closet now. What else could possibly bubble to the surface in this tale of inter island skullduggery?
Is it a case of the King and his invisible clothes, or is exile in Chile beckoning ahead of the truth and nothing but the truth?
One thing's for sure, he'll not be going 'back hame'.
I wonder why Marine Harvest (a Norwegian owned multi national who seem to have very close links with Shetland!) are so keen in getting this net service station up and running in this redundant Scalpay 'white elepahant'? Are the local fish farmers not very concerned about the bio-security risks and the very real dangers this proposed net service station presents? At the end of the day this could turn into a 'net' loss for everyone involved.
‘The Young Shetlandar’
O young Shetlandar is come out of the north,
Ower the wild Firth the wild seas did froth;
And save his stout ‘priest’ he weapons had none,
He rode all unarm'd, and he rode all alone.
So unfaithful in love, and so unscrupulous in war,
There never was king like the young Shetlandar.
He staid not for brake, and he stopp'd not for stone,
He swam the wide Minch where ford there was none;
But ere he alighted at yon Scalpay pier,
The Company had consented, the gallant to steer:
For a laggard in love, and a dastard in war,
This was fair game to the young Shetlandar.
So boldly he enter'd this Island so proud,
Among men of the sea, the heather and rain cloud:
Then spoke of his homeland, of old Norsk fame,
Where Gugas are plenty, this land called ‘back hame’,
"O come ye in peace here, or come ye in war,
Or do we dance to your tune, young king Shetlandar?"
"I long woo'd your services, my like you denied; --
Pride swells like the Pentland, but ebbs like its tide --
And now I am come, with this fancy of mine,
To lead but one measure, net washing so fine.
There are facilities in Scotland more lovely by far,
That would gladly be closed by the young Shetlandar."
The feckless kiss'd the goblet: the king took it up,
He quaff'd off the wine, and he threw down the cup.
They look'd down for more, and then look'd up to sigh,
With a smile on his lips and a snear in his eye.
He gave his false hand, ere there confidence would bar, --
"Now pour me a measure!" said young Shetlandar.
So arrogant his form, and so sleekit his face,
That never a hall such a braggart did grace;
While his gibbering did fret, and his blustering did fume
The good men of Scalpay stood like George of Khartoum;
And the wise old Gugas whisper'd, "'twere better by far
To have match'd our fair cousin with young Shetlandar."
One skelp to his heed, and one word in his ear,
When you reach the hall-door, just ask for a steer;
For you will be telt in no uncertain twang,
To light to your saddle before you are sprang!
"We have won! he is gone, over bank, bush with shame;
The young Shetlandar has gone ‘back hame’.
Remember that nothing stays the same in this ever changing world. It only seems like yesterday that I was part of the procession that went to pay homage to the King at his coronation when he came of age. There was never a party more lavish in Shetland, with a hareem of young nubile women parading in their finest, attempting to catch his eye.
Now he lives a life of solitude and exile amongst a bunch of ignorant 'Sooth Moothers', who haven't exactly welcomed him with open arms, nor treated him with the respect that he most certainly deserves. We all hope for the day that he will pass back through Bixter and lead us all back towards the promised land.
Similarly, the castle at Scalloway is the only thing that has remained the same over on the West side. Supposedly the ownership of the net works here has evolved. The talk is that it is now wholly Norwegian owned, but the former local owners are said to be delighted to have got out before the bruck hits the fan so to speak. Hopefully the Norwegian firm will dig deep to provide the investment to sort out the enviromental issues.
As the wise man of Partick once said "as long as he keeps pissing in our bovril we'll keep shitting in his shoes".
I see you have been spending some time in the Park Bar. Maybe they'll be shipping the carpets up for a run thtough the new Scalpay laundry!
The King's past may be about to catch up with him:
From Fishupdate.com
Marine Harvest reorganises its management team
Published: 02 December, 2008
Marine Harvest has announced the appointment of David Carnes to the new post of director corporate development and changes to the structure of its group management team.
Effective from the December 1, the team will consist of CEO; CFO; director corporate development (from March 1 2009); director group operations; and managing directors for Marine Harvest Norway, Marine Harvest Chile and Marine Harvest VAP Europe.
David Carnes (47) has been appointed director corporate development and will take up his position on the March 1. He comes from a position as senior supply executive in Aker Solutions ASA and has extensive experience from the procurement and supply area. He has previously worked with supply and logistics in Norske Skog ASA. He also has broad experience from Norsk Hydro ASA where in addition to procurement, he worked in a number of legal and corporate positions. Carnes holds an MBA (Hons) from IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland and an LLM in international business law from the University of Exeter.
Carnes' responsibilities will include development and implementation of policies and procedures in areas such as human resources; health, safety and environment; corporate social responsibility; and corporate sourcing
A very interesting tale of two islands. I note from Angus's initial blog and links that the main fish farming support for this company's previous application at Stromeferry came from a firm of International fish farming consultants from Argyll.
http://www.kames.co.uk/index.htm
Who the blazes are they you might ask.
I've had a look at their website and they seem to have invented and developed everything possible to do with fish farming, the very pioneers. Very clever guys you would say, and yet they were publicly bolstering the development of a business that was nearly 4 hours away by road from their main business. All of this, when they are within a short sail of one of the already established net stations in the Sound of Mull, which they said was too far away and expensive!
Were they amongst the consultants hired to make this happen? It would be interesting to know if palms have been crossed with silver this time to smooth the way.
One thing that we all learned from bitter experience from summers at the bothan was that it was much better to miturate over the fence than up against your own gable end or into the peat stack. Sooner or later the smell comes back to haunt you!
Have a peaceful Christmas and sleep as straight as you can in your beds as the day of reckoning may almost be upon you!
The 'Marag Masher' at Ropework Park was not the instigator of the last proposed Norwegian net washing facility on the islands. Far from it, he was in the camp of supporting the local man in the Uists, realising the importance of home grown industry.
No, the perpetrator was a fellow Norwegian by the name of Ole-Petter Krabberod, the then MD of Stolt Seafarms, who was said to have been a near neighbour of the owners of the firm hoping to set up over here.
Ironic that the latest proposal is on the site of his former office and grant assisted processing factory!
Murdo Fish must be shaking his head at all of this!
It's true, the now 'Marag Masher' previously 'salmon basher' had nothing wahtsoever to do with this proposed net service facility in Scalpay. If ever there was a true man of the Western Isles, he was one. "I don't care what colour the boiler suits are - as long as they are red".
Bring them in, wee or big, if they'll not do the children they'll do the pig!
What have we got to worry about?
Entice them in with the Silkies. They could be a modern day 'SS Politician' and when they're done, like all that went before them, we'll strip them bare!
Ah well well now, what is is about beware the ides of March. That fearful disease is back on the march again up in Shetland. I wonder how close it is to the net station up yonder.
And some gloich wants to bring the same to here!
Hopefully the Scottish Exec scientists will be taking a close look at the reservoirs of disease in Shetland and our planners will have the savy to stamp on it from a great height on our own islands. We need to keep our salmon and sea trout safe. Lets nip this nonsense in the bud right now.
HIE owned property, purpose built for fish processing with tax payers money: Asset stripped by Marine Harvest and ransacked by all and sundry.
Norwegian company arrives on the scene and cockily announces that they are moving in, despite the lack of any permissions from the regulatory authorities or owners of the property.
Supposedly offered 'Lucky' (biblically Speaking) local man the post of manager (Still no permissions). Somebody somewhere is obviously pulling strings very hard and is confident that despite everything, he is going to get his own way.
Displacement, displacement, displacement,
immoral, immoral, immoral,
predatory, predatory, predatory,
anti-competititive, anti-competitive, anti-competitive,
illegal, illegal, illegal!
A company from a Non Eu country trying its damnedest to dominate every market in the world and hump the locals in the process. One for Jim Mather to closely srutinise for the Scottish people.
Send them back over the North Sea in their longships.
Start turning the screw from here, more to follow!
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/forms/sa_complaint_en.html
What the DTI say about grant assistance:
What type of project
doesn’t qualify?
The European Commission restricts
aid to certain sectors such as iron and
steel, coal, synthetic fibres, vehicles,
and agriculture and fisheries.
Similarly, support is not available
for projects in sectors of the economy
that are already fully served, as this
will lead to overcapacity, damaging
productivity. Projects which simply
transfer jobs from one part of the
country to another with no significant
increase in employment or growth in
output are also ineligible for support.
............
Support is not available for projects
that are likely to lead to displacement
of similar employment already present
in the Assisted Area. Projects involving
local services, for example retail outlets
or restaurants, would be considered
ineligible for support.
For larger projects, the potential
displacement of employment will
be considered at a national level.
To ensure your project qualifies,
you will need to provide information
regarding the size of your market
and your existing and expected
market share. You will also be asked
for details of your main customers and
competitors, including their locations.
From State Aid Scotland
Getting it wrong
The European Commission allows State aid in specific circumstances; for example to promote Community investment in research and development, environmental protection and investment in training.
However, in general, it considers State aid to be incompatible with the common market and to have a damaging effect on competition and trade across the Community area. Consequently, the Commission takes a serious view of aid provided without its approval and a particularly serious view of aid given in contravention of the State aid rules.
In these circumstances, there can be serious repercussions:
The aid payment could be halted
The recipient could be required to repay the aid, plus interest
Aggrieved competitors may also seek legal action for damages
The Commission could commence infringement procedures against the member state, possibly resulting in a fine
In recent years the Commission has given increasing priority to applying state aid rules more rigorously.
It is therefore extremely important to establish whether your project or policy proposal constitutes State aid and , if so, how they be taken forward in compliance with the State aid rules - whether they require notification to the Commission, or do they fit with an existing approved State aid scheme or block exemption.
Unfortunately the original supporting documents regarding the original planning application don't seem to be available on line from the council.
There were conditions on the granting of the consent. Does anyone know what these were? No doubt with it being situated in a National Scenic Area (NSA) Scottish Natural Heritage would have had an input.
Was the factory classified in band 4 or 5 with regards to its use? Certainly a net laundry with noisy machinery and smelly nets would fall into number 5 banding, but not sure if this was the case for the original use.
If it was originally in four, then a change of use needs to be applied for.
National Scenic Areas are Scotland’s only national landscape designation. They are those areas of land considered of national significance on the basis of their outstanding scenic interest which must be conserved as part of the country’s natural heritage. They have been selected for their characteristic features of scenery comprising a mixture of richly diverse landscapes including prominent landforms, coastline, sea and freshwater lochs, rivers, woodlands and moorlands.
Seems the Shetwegians have already started to bring in the parts for their new facility. Presumptious or what!, they dont even have consents in place yet. They have appointed a manager for a factory that doesnt have consents inplace if I were he I would be extremely concerned or does he have inside information that this farcility will go ahead.
Given the current health status in the northern isles I would not be encouraging the movement of nets containing the odd dead around the western isles for servicing.
Those in the know will realise that biosecurity is paramount and the last thing any responsible company should be doing is moving nets around from one area to another.
British jobs for British workers is at the front in the news these days so why have Marine Harvest Scotland absolutely NO qualms about encouraging a Norwegian company to set up in direct competition to teh already established station already in the Western Isles, they used that for long enough, but have now cast that aside.
"Back hame" must be using his influence and has no conscience when it comes to trying to keep the work local, indeed when your pockets are being lined I guess thats the last thing you are thinking about. A shame when one of the largest employers in the area cannot have a policy of supporting local business. What happens when there is a problem? Im sure the nogs wont be willing to sort it out without a great deal of cost and then any benefits gained are quickly lost but hey they dont think about that until its too late.
Has MH no policy of buying local? next thing we know they will be importing Nogs or their near neighbours to do the job ! Oh! wait they have already started.
Back Hame will need to watch his step and his back, the past is quickly catching up with him but as long as he and the boy form a group huddle they may be OK, but I wouldnt count on it.
Watch this space its going to get inetresting very soon I feel.
According to the book of Jonah, he was the son of Amittai (meaning 'My Truth'). God orders Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh to prophesy against it "for their great wickedness is come up before me" [1]. Jonah seeks to flee from "the presence of the Lord" by going to Jaffa and sailing to Tarshish. A huge storm arises and the sailors, realizing this is no ordinary storm, cast lots and learn that Jonah is to blame. Jonah admits this and states that if he is thrown overboard the storm will cease. The sailors try to get the ship to the shore but in failing feel forced to throw him overboard, at which point the sea calms. Jonah is miraculously saved by being swallowed by a large fish specially prepared by God where he spent three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17). In chapter two, while in the great fish, Jonah prays to God in his affliction and commits to thanksgiving and to paying what he has vowed. God commands the fish to vomit Jonah out.
God again orders Jonah to visit Nineveh and to prophesy to its inhabitants. This time he goes and enters the city crying, "In forty days Nineveh shall be overthrown." Probably to Jonah's surprise, the people of Nineveh believed his word and proclaimed a fast. The king of Nineveh put on sackcloth and sat in ashes and made a proclamation to decree fasting, sackcloth, prayer, and repentance. God saw their works and spared the city at that time [2].
Displeased by this, Jonah tries to excuse his earlier flight to Tarshish and asserts that, since God is merciful, it was inevitable that God would turn from the threatened calamities. He then leaves the city and makes himself a shelter, waiting to see whether or not the city will be destroyed.
God causes a plant (in Hebrew a kikayon) to grow over Jonah's shelter to give him some shade from the sun. Later, God causes a worm to bite the plant's root and it withers. Jonah, now being exposed to the full force of the sun, becomes faint and desires that God take him out of the world.
But God says to him,
Are you really so very angry about the little plant? (or "The good is what you are angry at!" - according to a traditional Jewish translation)[citation needed]
You were upset about this little plant, something for which you have not worked nor did you do anything to make it grow. It grew up overnight and died the next day. Should I not be even more concerned about Nineveh, this enormous city? There are more than one hundred twenty thousand people in it who do not know right from wrong, as well as many animals! (Jonah 4:9-11)
From Wikipedia.org
Is it one of the Seaforth Highlanders that's going to run the big laundry at Stolt.
The gossip in the bakers was that DR had delivered a sculpture of a whale's skeleton over the bridge for Jonah. They weren't sure whether or not it was to be erected at the school, or whether it was going to be mounted in the sacred field of broken dreams under the bridge.
Jonah is away learning how to clean nets, having perfected the ancient art of growing edible shellfish on them. Maybe they will also empart how to stretch pelts over the skeleton, just in case he has to sail it back to Norway.
Back in Tarbert, they are preparing for the first load of laundry from the newly refurbished Hotel Hebrides to head over to Scalpay for the ultimate laundry service. Hopefully the culvert at Urgha will take the strain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhjWLjnoJuA
The net washing in Scalpay will be just like the factory was,they will be there as long as they get grants and once that runs out they will run too.No-one seems to know what the smell etc will be like but hey we just live here.As for Duncan Macinnes he has no interest in Scalpay,never has.As long as he gets his name in the papers and a few interviews on TV now and again,so that people will think he is doing a great job,he is happy.WIE shouldn't even think of working with the vikings again!Once bitten twice shy should spring to mind !!!
Oh my God. The darkest clouds have gathered over Scalpay and Seaforth.
Beware and be very aware. I urge you. I urge you all.
If it is anything like the honk up here at Callanish, it will be absolutely dreadful.
No doubt you've heard of smello-vision, well I've seen the steam rising from them as they try to get them into DR's seaweed trailer. I think some of these companies would be more successful as shellfish growers.... but then if they smell like that, the market will be somewhat limited.
Here we go again, the Norwegian propoganda machine has shot it's mouth off before the facts have been confirmed.
Can Marine Harvest not give these poor folk the address of a good PR company? Where is the public notice announcing any planning or discharges that have allegedly been rubber stamped behind closed doors? The developers were looking at less than half a dozen jobs initially and were rounding it down to 2 or 3 and when that didn't wear with the powers that be, they went back to the drawing board.
'How many jobs do we need to provide before you will support us?' they probably asked.
'Oh, about 15-20 posts would be splendid, that should just about make up for the 100 odd jobs that you will put under threat with the hauliers in Stornoway, not to mention the established net washers.'
'Oh hell, we will need to close our operation in Shetland and China and move those jobs over to Scalpay to get anywhere near that. Mind you, we've got some fine equipment there that was funded through the very generous EU schemes, so maybe that is not such a bad idea' they might have said.
Now 15 jobs are being created (11 of them probably to cloak the building whilst they make the alterations) and the other 4 to sweep the yard whilst they wait on the Idema net washers breaking down out at sea.
Never mind, there will be another 60 jobs created down the line when they have to convert the building back into a fish factory at the end of the lease. The hard bit now for the boys in the HIE legal team is to nail who will pick up the tab to clean up the site and purge the state of the art water system of compacted effluent further down the line.
I suppose that they will be insisting that they deposit a sizeable bond in a bank in Inverness to safeguard the public money?
Lets just hope that it's not an Icelandic bank!
http://www.hebridesnews.co.uk/net-washing-station-for-scalpay-factory.html
Oops, this part of the story has disappeared like snow off a dyke.
Why? Did somebody put the press releases out in the wrong order?
Just for the record, the Mr Goodlad who has sold out his share in NSS to Morenot, and sold the title Net Services Scotland to them, is from the same stable as those below...surprise, surprise.
Shetland Island Saga
More than 12 Shetland Island fish farm companies and processing operations have gone into receivership since 2003, one of the latest casualties being Hoove Salmon. Shetland Island Council’s (SIC) development trust looks like losing another £1.18 million in the process and a further £105,000 is owed to Shetland Aquaculture Trust.
Losses to SIC oil reserve funds to date through their unstinting support of factory fish farming stand at approx £10m, and rising; enough to pay every man, woman and child in the islands a bonus of nearly £500.
But it’s not all bad news, at least not for those who manage these farms. Those who owned Hoove Salmon, the brothers Grains, Angus, Calum and Gavin, whose mother, Florence, is Vice Convener of SIC, seem to be having a good run for their money, or rather SIC and European Union money: apart from cash from Shetland Council’s oil reserve fund, money has poured in from the EU Financial Instrument on Fisheries Guidance.
Hoove Salmon received an EU grant of £149,100, whilst Papil Salmon, (a company Hoove bought over in 2001 with help from the Shetland Council Development Trust in the shape of a £500,000 loan) landed £186,305. Angus Grains was also managing director of failed SSG Seafoods where his salary was alleged to have been not unadjacent to £100,000 pa.
The Grain’s colleague fish farmers, Alistair Goodland and his cousin John are also adapt at persuading public bodies to keep them afloat. Shetland Enterprise, has just (Sept 2005) awarded the Goodlads a loan of £650,000.
Alistair, whose brother Morgan is CEO of Shetland Island Council (SIC), and John have played a lead role in a number of fish farm companies that have gone into receivership, the most spectacular being SSG Seafoods, and all of whom received financial support from SIC as well as bucket-loads of cash from the EU.
SSG Seafoods, (Chairman, John Goodland) was a co-operative involving a number of Shetland fish farmers, including the Grain’s Hoove Salmon, Bressay Salmon (owned by John and Alistair), and Cro Lax (also owned by the Goodlad family). The collapse of SSG Seafoods cost the public purse upwards of £7 million pounds, but the council refused to hold a public inquiry into the disaster in spite of wide spread concern about possible conflicts of interest in the awarding of grants and loans to salmon farmers.
Two weeks before SSG Seafoods folded, the Goodlads, along with Angus Grains and his brother Calum, formed a new company, Foraness Fish, which then did a deal with receivers Ernst & Young to buy back 300,000 immature salmon, cages and works licence, all at a knock-down price from the failed company.
Thereafter, Bressay Salmon tragically went into receivership at the end of January 2004 whilst Cro Lax and Hoove Salmon followed a few months later. Foraness Fish and North Atlantic Seafarms rose triumphant from the ashes. But between them, these Grains and Goodlad companies cost the people of Shetland and banks nearly £3 million pounds and the EU £620,315.
It is beyond belief that anyone would wish to finance the activities of such high risk borrowers. Shetland Enterprise chief executive, Ann Black, speaking to The Shetland News, said: “The Scottish Executive has asked the Highlands and Islands Enterprise network to assist salmon farming businesses in this way. Hopefully confidence in the salmon farming sector will return in the near future.” So that’s all right then, isn’t it?
Chronachaidh
If the evil eye has been cast in their direction, then they better look for nails, iron, hair balls, cinders, urine, threads, juniper and rowan for their best defences.
The boys from the North will be pretty eolach about these things I suppose.
They're saying that the North Lochs bus was away on the mainland looking for volunteers to man the station. It was a 15 seater, so that would staff the whole place if they fill it.
The big news last week about our new neighbour's latest success at the Highlands and Islands Enterprise Games must have gone off like dirty bombs on Uist and down in Ayrshire.
Yes, with 1st prizes at tossing the caber and doing the Highland Schottische, the Norwegian firm have waltzed onto the island with £400k of EFF Euros (Not Norwegian Crowns) in their Skye Rocket to help them get up and running their latest venture on the fair isle of Scalpay. Hopefully this firm has a long term commitment to the islands and will put as much in as they take out of your pocket and mine.
Must make a mental note to ask those fellows the Goodlads how to fill out the forms. So should the rest of the salmon farmers and fishermen in the Hebrides. They could be doing surgeries up in Stornoway as a consultancy sideline.
I see the shuttering done on the pier. Is this to keep the dirt out or in?
Marybank no more, Scalpay no more, Harlosh no more, Diabaig no more, Miavaig no more, Carnan no more, Skipport no more, Lochmaddy no more Caol Mor no more and many 'Mor'.
The management of these firms is for all the world like an onion. The top layer rots then is peeled away and discarded to reveal a new level of pungence, then it also rots and another eye nipping bunch comes to the surface, but the nearer you get to the onion's core, the narrower the viewpoint becomes. What happens when the core is rotten?
Yours, now happily feeding my chickens on the green grass of Ose.
Redundant Pellet Chucka from Eilean a Cheo
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