Wiltshire Salmon Farm Gets Green Light Amid Eco-Concerns

A new land-based salmon farm is set to commence operations near Downton in Wiltshire, following the approval of planning permission for a building to cover its fish tanks. The facility will employ a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS), utilizing groundwater treated and reused akin to a large aquarium. Specialized filters, including biofilters, UV filters, and protein skimmers, will manage water quality by removing solid waste, which will be stored for biogas or fertilizer. The company asserts this closed-loop system is environmentally superior to traditional sea-based salmon farming.

The application for the covering building, which is classified as temporary for five years, garnered over 1,000 public comments. A significant number of these comments expressed objections, citing concerns about factory farming practices and the potential environmental consequences. Critics, including environmental groups, have raised alarms about the proximity to a chalk stream river, drawing comparisons to sewage systems and highlighting risks of mass fish deaths, similar to issues seen in sea-based operations.

Company representatives have countered these concerns, emphasizing that their RAS technology prevents the use of certain chemicals and antibiotics that could harm the biofilters. They also highlighted that their venture in Switzerland, using the same technology, received green status for fish welfare. Additionally, the new building will feature solar panels on its roof, projected to supply between 24% and 40% of the farm's energy needs.