"Disgrace for democracy...diabolical decision" decries No East Moclett Group on BBC Radio Orkney

"A disgrace for democracy….it's a diabolical decision" says Wendy Elves of Papa Westray's No East Moclett @bbcorkney "Everyone should be heard, everyone should count….the decision was made before we entered the room" @OrkneyCouncil @CookeScotland @cookeseafood @amy_may pic.twitter.com/htXviS828H

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 13, 2022

Wendy Elves of No East Moclett Group on Papa Westray pulled no punches when she spoke to BBC Radio Orkney about the approval of a new super-sized salmon farm in North Sound to be operated by Canadian giant Cooke Aquaculture:

Listen to the whole news segment on BBC Radio Orkney (starts at 24 minutes 30 seconds) online here

The blue lagoon of Holm Sound at low tide. In a South Westerly this will become the receptacle for the waste from 4000 tonnes of Salmon… Set the benchmark now for what we are about to lose.. @TheGAAIA @TheOpenSeas @ArianeBurgessHI pic.twitter.com/qbBZ0a49FJ

— Papay Ranger (@PapayRanger) September 15, 2022

Poor decision making yet again by @OrkneyIslandsCouncil. A death knell served to the Papay #Marine Protected Area by approving yet another fish farm to be built in an environmentally sensitive area. #plasticpollution #Seagrass #kelpforest #biodiversity #Ecosystemservices

— Dr Joanne Porter #WorkingToContract (@JoanneSPorter) September 8, 2022

Commenting after the shameful decision by Orkney Islands Council (8 September 2022) to grant approval to what will be Scotland's largest salmon farm off the island of Papa Westray, No East Moclett Group told $camon $cotland:

"No East Moclett Group is considering our options and will be filing an appeal subject to legal opinion. No means no – the population of Papay are fed up of having to fight off salmon farm developers from encroaching into their precious inshore waters" https://t.co/LgaNEHGVY1 pic.twitter.com/MqtdiCTJbe

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 8, 2022

"Granting approval without proper consultation or community support is an affront to local democracy. In ignoring blanket opposition, OIC and Cooke have treated islanders on Papa Westray with sheer contempt. No East Moclett Group is considering our options and will be filing an appeal subject to legal opinion. No means no – the population of Papay are fed up of having to fight off salmon farm developers from encroaching into their precious inshore waters. Enough is enough – allowing further expansion of 'organic' salmon farming in Orkney is a threat to the marine environment and tourism. Today's decision is just the beginning of our fight against Cooke and the council's unreasonable approval of Scotland's largest salmon farm".

"Granting approval without proper consultation or community support is an affront to local democracy. In ignoring blanket opposition, @OrkneyCouncil & @CookeScotland have treated islanders on Papay with sheer contempt" (No East Moclett Group)https://t.co/LgaNEHGo8t @amy_may pic.twitter.com/rFKLJqjJNm

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 8, 2022

"Enough is enough – allowing further expansion of 'organic' salmon farming in Orkney is a threat to the marine environment & tourism. This is just the beginning of our fight vs Cooke & the council's unreasonable approval of Scotland's largest salmon farm" https://t.co/LgaNEHGo8t pic.twitter.com/jdDjYNItj7

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 9, 2022