Lighthouse Caledonia plans new Outer Hebrides processing plant

We are pleased to report that plans for a new salmon processing plant for Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides are underway - hopefully a reversal of the circumstances that lead to the Outer Hebrides Salmon Seminar that Nautilus facilitated back in February 2009 (see our news report "Outer Hebrides salmon farming seminar").

As reported on the fishnewseu.com website:

"SCOTLAND’S largest independent salmon farming company has submitted a planning application to council officials in the Western Isles to build a new £5m factory at Arnish, south of Stornoway.

"Lighthouse Caledonia plans to build the state-of-the-art facility in 2010, bringing up to 100 jobs to the region. The creation of these jobs will make Lighthouse Caledonia the biggest private sector employer in the Outer Hebrides.

"The move follows news that Lighthouse Caledonia has secured the ownership of its farms at Loch Seaforth. The sites produce 2,500 tonnes in an 18-month cycle. This, combined with other proposed sites including Toa Tolsta at Broad Bay, will be enough to sustain year-round production and employment in the area and justify the opening of a new factory.

"In December last year, when the company was under different ownership, Lighthouse Caledonia was forced to close its Stornoway processing plant with the loss of 130 jobs. Lighthouse Caledonia’s Chairman Jim Mullins said: “The submission of this planning application represents a significant turning point and we can now move forward to build our business in the Hebrides.”"