Salmon 'farm' company confident of bright future for ambitious Cleethorpes venture

Site of the proposed salmon farm is close to Blundell Park (centre left) - home of Grimsby Town FC 

CONTROVERSY is likely to rage over the proposed indoor salmon 'farm' in Cleethorpes well into 2024 and beyond.

The firm behind the project is London-based  Aquacultured Seafood Ltd which is currently approaching potential funders for the £75- million project which has been earmarked for scrubland between Blundell Park and the Humber estuary wall.

Among its pledges are:

* Creation of 80 jobs and new skills opportunities

* Supply of "healthy, nutritious and responsibly-farmed" salmon - 5,000 tonnes per annum

* Construction work for local contractors

Opponents claim that the intensive rearing methods will be distressing to the fish. 

When the proposal came before last month's meeting of North East Lincolnshire Council's planning committee - where it was approved - ward councillor Cllr Sophia Farren queried how many of the jobs would be for local people given that Grimsby Institute currently offers no food degree.

Cllr Kevin Shutt warned that "millions of fish might die" if there were to be an extended power cut and no back-up electricity supply were available.

However, it has since emerged that the application does make provision for back-up generators to be installed.

In an attempt to address most, if not all, of the concerns, Aquacultured Seafood Ltd has issued a question-and answer document which reads as follows:

Will you be discharging waste into the Humber?

Any water returned to the Humber will be correctly cleaned and filtered to ensure that the water is returned in a state that is at least as clean as it was when first extracted.

Will the water treatment really remove all of the chemicals?

Onshore aquaculture enables a more controlled environment that allows for optimised fish welfare. This includes less use of medicines and chemicals compared with offshore fish farms. Despite that, any waste water from the process is cleaned and filtered, ensuring that it is at least as clean as when it was extracted before being returned to the sea. Regular monitoring and analysis of water quality forms part of the process.

If the water is clean when it goes out, why don’t you re-use it?

In Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), which we’re proposing for this development, some of the treated waste water is recycled within the processing system and returned to the tanks to be re-used. However, for optimum fish welfare, a percentage of water exchange is required.

Will the tanks be totally separate from the sea?

Yes. The proposed development, which contains the tanks is a completely enclosed, indoor facility.

If the salmon becomes contaminated, will the waste be poured into the estuary, affecting the Humber?

No. We are continually learning from other established onshore aquaculture facilities to minimise any risk of contamination, as it is in our best interests to prioritise the welfare of our salmon to produce healthy, nutritious fish. However, if ever there is a contamination incident, any affected tanks will be immediately isolated from the other tanks in the facility and the waste will be properly and carefully disposed of by our specialist fish waste processing partners.

Is this going to create extra noise and vibration at all hours of the day and night?

No. Specialist, independent consultants have confirmed that noise from the proposed development will be low impact to all residential dwellings at all times. That means that the noise generated will not be noticeably louder than the current level of background noise.

Will the smell be awful?

A specialist, independent consultant has identified three  possible sources of odour that could be generated, but all three  will be contained within the facility. 

1. Fish processing waste will be separately stored in sealed, refrigerated containers and securely transported to nearby processors who already have established facilities. 

2. Solids from waste water treatment will be stored in a sealed container and removed from the site daily by credible waste management partners.

3. Water treatment and exhaust air is continuously recycled and cleaned and carbon filtered when discharged to external air.

If that is true, why do people say that they have experienced foul smells from fish farms in Scotland?

The facilities that are being referred to in Scotland are offshore aquaculture farms which operate differently from the proposed development. The proposals for Grimsby are for an onshore Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) which operates in a closed, indoor facility.

How will you stop chemicals and hormones transferring to local water via the waste water?

One of the benefits of the proposed Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) is the lack of chemicals and hormones introduced into the system. In addition, all waste water is thoroughly cleaned before being returned to the Humber to ensure that it is at least as clean as when it was extracted.

Will all the jobs be low paid and low skilled?

On the contrary, the facility will create new skills opportunities for local people, which will be delivered via local education and training support.

Will the jobs be available to local people or will staff be shipped in like with renewables?

We are committed to employing local people wherever possible. Where local skills gaps exist, we are working with local education providers to introduce new, specialist skills training to the region for future employment.

Why build this on our doorstep to feed middle-class families in Asia? Can’t they build their own fish farm if they want one?

While increasing demand in Asia is helping to drive growing, global demand for healthy, nutritious seafood, this development is not about supplying Asian demand. This is an opportunity for improving UK food security and reducing our reliance on overseas imports.

Most of the fish currently processed in Great Grimsby is transported in from Norway and Scotland. All of the fish from the proposed development would be processed within a two-mile radius, reducing food miles, increasing freshness at the point of delivery to the processor and supporting local businesses and jobs.

Why is the site so close to residential dwellings? Isn’t there somewhere more suitable?

The site has been selected for a variety of reasons that make it the ideal location for the proposed development. These include proximity to fresh and saline water sources, nearby location of food and waste processors, and strong, existing, local transport links.

Why was there no Environmental Impact Assessment  for this proposed development?

Having followed all of the correct procedures and consulting with the necessary bodies, it was determined that no EIA was required for the proposed development.

What will happen to the birds and wildlife that use this land as their natural habitat?

Extensive ecology reports relating to the sites have been ongoing since 2001. All findings and recommendations are being carefully considered, along with measures to minimise the impact of the development on wildlife wherever possible. 

The proposed site layout includes retention and protection of approximately 2ha of existing local wildlife sites habitats; trees, scrub and grassland as a strip alongside the railway line boundary.

 Where loss of designated wildlife habitats does occur, off-site mitigation options will be sought with support from credible and trustworthy partners.

ASL says it hopes to start construction during 2024.

* Top photo courtesy of  ASL

** See also: https://Grimsbynews.blogspot.com

Ian Wright was gutted when he went home from Blundell Park without a haddock to give to his mum

                                                 

Player's  mum missed out on massive Grimsby fish

FORMER England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright has revealed how one of  the disappointments of his illustrious career in football came after a match at Blundell Park when he was still a young player with his first club, Crystal Palace.

"When we played up in Grimsby, they would give every player a massive fish to take home," he recalls.

But he was persuaded to hand over his fish by  a senior team mate, Jim Cannon,  who had been giving him a hard time in weekday training.

He continues: "I gave it to him, hoping to placate him or something even though I knew my mum would have loved it."

But his act of goodwill was to no avail. Of his team mate, he says: "On Monday, he was back to his  regular, miserable self."

The anecdote comes in Wright's  autobiography, My Life in Football,  where he describes his ups and downs both in the game and outside it.

Until recently,  a pundit on BBC's Match of the The Day and other football shows, he is critical of the Professional Footballers' Association  for not doing more to help players facing depression or other issues, particularly after their careers are over.

He says: "A lot of players or former players don’t know what help is available to them or aren’t capable of finding out for themselves.

"This is where the PFA should come in. I don’t think they do nearly enough to ensure the wellbeing of footballers  after they have  finished playing.

"We pay enough to them in our careers, and they get a cut of TV  money, but they don’t instigate the sort of help so many players need."

The author (52) also queries the role of agents, claiming there are "more  bad ones than good ones”.

He continues: "On the purely practical side, nobody needs an agent - they do nothing that a solicitor or accountant can’t do.

"When a player gets an agent,  all he is  doing is giving that person the opportunity  to be a middleman to make money for himself which, in the majority of cases, is all he does.

"Agents are like glorified hotel concierges. They answer the phone and fix up little things, but they do not necessarily advance a player’s career or make sure he still has one."

* Ian Wright: My Life in Football is published by Littlebrown at £18.99 

** This is an updated version of  a report that was originally published July 12 in  https://Grimsbynews.blogspot.com 

Back where it belongs - after a bit of tender loving care, juvenile mute swan is returned to the wild

 

No words necessary. Another successful rescue and return for Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue. In this case, a juvenile mute swan which seemed none the worse for whatever ordeal it had suffered as it was returned to Buck Beck on Saturday morning.  

 

High hopes that new First Aid kits could save lives if Grimsby pub violence leads to serious injury

Gary Peck (left), of the Humber Violence Prevention Partnership, presents one of the kits to Ryan Milson of the  Racks Pool and Sports Bar

A TOTAL of Grimsby pubs have received brand new emergency First Aid 'bleed kits', thanks to funding from the Office of the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner.

The kits include trauma dressings to control moderate to severe haemorrhaging and chest wounds.

They were purchased from The Daniel Baird Foundation - set up following the fatal stabbing of Daniel Baird in Birmingham in 2019.

At a meeting of the PubWatch group, the 25 kits were distributed.

A further 50 kits are due to be distributed in due course.

Explains  Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside Jonathan Evison, said: "These kits are part of a huge drive to reduce harm from serious violence. 

"Everyone needs to feel safe in our pubs, bars and clubs and these kits could potentially save a life, but there is no excuse for violence and we will continue to work with our partners to tackle all violent crime."

Welcoming the initiative, Cllr Ron Shepherd, NELC's portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities comments: "I am really pleased to see these kits being rolled out  across our area, but violence is never OK - it is my hope that these kits will never need to be used."

The bleed kits are designed to be used by anyone who is on the scene of an incident.

Their purpose is to reduce the risk of someone succumbing to a life-threatening injury. They are lightweight packs, and can be attached to people, hung up or kept in vehicles.

Apart from Racks Pool and Sports Bar, which is located in the former Co-op supermarket on the corner of Bethlehem Street and Garden Street in Grimsby, the names of other 24 pubs have not yet been issued.

Time for North East Lincolnshire Council to get its act together on out-of-order Riverhead fountain

 

 

Here's hoping the fountain at Grimsby's Riverhead will be back in action soon. It literally brought sparkle and freshness to the town centre, but it has not been operating since summer. It is not known if the shut-down has been caused by a fault, by antisocial behaviour or simply to save money. But if North East Lincolnshire Council is unable to maintain a fountain, it does not inspire much faith in its other proposals for this part of town. 

                                                                  

 

Starbucks eye up site on outskirts of Grimsby's Europarc for new coffee shop and drive-thru

 

Dovetail Architects have supplied this artist's impression of the proposed building 

A NEW coffee shop, with drive-thru facility, is on the cards for the outskirts of Grimsby.

North East Lincolnshire Council has granted planning consent for the development to the rear of the existing restaurant and pub known as Beechwood Farm on the edge of Europarc.

It is understood that Starbucks is the company behind the scheme.

The  building will be constructed of timber and composite cladding panels, and there will be 22 parking spaces which would also provide the option of electric  vehicle charging as.

The proposal did not go before the council's planning committee but was determined under delegated powers  by case officer Bethany Loring.

Cleethorpes MP calls for more wind turbines on brownfield sites - fewer in beautiful countryside

                 

Wind turbines and sunflowers in a field near Cleethorpes 

CLEETHORPES MP Martin Vickers has called for  more onshore wind turbines to be built on brownfield sites rather than in the countryside.

He told a Commons debate: "The problem with onshore wind is that too many of the applications are for areas of outstanding natural beauty or beautiful rural areas, rather than, say, docks or industrial estates." 

                                        

Martin Vickers - favours industrial areas for wind turbines

However, Wera Hobhouse, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bath took a different perspective.

She responded: "A long time ago, when I was a councillor, a big wind farm was built in my ward, and  I remember well the local objections to it.

"People said, 'Oh, the beautiful, natural environment of our hills!' 

"The natural environment of the hills had been destroyed decades or centuries ago. There were no trees any more. 

"Local people come forward and talk about our beautiful natural environment, but the natural environment had become like that, and wind farms are now becoming part of the landscape that we are creating for people. 

"Once wind farms are there, people stop objecting to the. Surveys are very clear on that."

She continued: "Of course, it is clear that people are always worried about change. 

"We are building something new and taking away something that was there, but if we are doing so for something that is so important, why can we not make the case that a wind turbine might be a much nicer thing to look at than, for example, a coal-fired power station, which we also need to put somewhere if we need energy? 

                                           

Wera Hobhouse: We cannot wait any longer

"What we do as humans creates some disruption to our local environment, and it has done so forever, so what do we want? 

"We need to get to net zero, build this infrastructure and build wind turbines, including in places where we can see them. 

"As responsible politicians, it is up to us to make the case for that. We have no time to waste: it is a race to net zero, and it is difficult. 

"Yes, some people do not like to look at wind farms, but But this is something of which we can persuade people, and I believe in persuading local people. 

"Yes, that sometimes takes time, but it is for us to do, because we have that persuading power and are in the position of influencing people. 

"That is where we should be, rather than always being on the side of the nay-sayers. 

"That is my honest position. I know that it is not easy; I have been there, too, in my time.

"We cannot wait any longer. 

"The UK needs to move further faster towards renewables. 

"Improving the planning system to quicken the building process is an important place to start."

                                          

Austin Mitchell's widow writes candid biography of controversial confidant of former prime minister

 

UNSURPRISINGLY not much has been heard of Linda McDougall since her husband, former Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell, died in August 2021. 

Now living in London, she has kept busy writing a book about Marcia Williams, Baroness Falkender, who was a political adviser and romantic 'flame' of former Labour prime minister Harold Wilson. 

Historians have described the relationship between Williams and Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson as one of the most famous but mysterious partnerships in modern political history. 

A brilliant tactician, she masterminded Wilson’s multiple election victories. Indeed, he said that, but for her ingenuity, he would never have become Prime Minister.

But misogyny, jealousy, a shocking private life and accusations of money-grubbing and bribery all contributed to her reputation as a public nuisance. 

There is little doubt Williams was outspoken, forthright and, by contemporary standards, deeply unconventional. 

In this biography, Linda McDougall seeks to rescue Marcia from previously dismissive verdicts, suggesting a more nuanced context in which to assess her actions as a trailblazing pioneer in British politics.

The book is published at £19.99 by Biteback Publishing.