Galway gears up for major rally against proposed fish farm

By JACQUELINE HOGGE A LONE piper will lead thousands of protestors through Galway city centre this weekend, as opposition to a planned fish farm off the Aran Islands gains momentum. Organisers have invited a leading environmentalist from Iceland to address the rally, as they aim to convince the government not to grant Bord Iascaigh Mhara a licence for the 15,000 ton salmon farm on a 456-hectare site off Inis Oirr. Orri Vigfusson is a world-renowned environmentalist whose main objective is to promote the restoration of wild Atlantic species of fish. He is one of ten speakers who will address a rally at the Spanish Arch on Saturday that has been organised by the action group Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages.[private] Mayor of County Galway Tom Welby and representatives from An Taisce and Salmon Watch Ireland will also address the demonstration that will see a relay of Aran Islanders carrying a currach from Eyre Square through the streets of Galway as far as the Spanish Arch and on to Salthill, where up to 5,000 protesters are expected to convene. A flotilla of boats is expected to sail alongside the rally as it makes its way along the Coast Road at the Claddagh out along the Prom. Organisers of the rally say they are overwhelmed by the support they have received nationwide and are expecting a large turn out on Saturday. â€Å“We have received calls from the four corners of Ireland and angling clubs all over the country are sending bus loads of members to Galway on Saturday,â€Â said Tommy Casserly, â€Å“We would ask those attending to support the Gardaí and stewards on the day, in the interest of health and safety.â€Â Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney is due to attend a marine exhibition at the Galway Bay Hotel on Saturday, where protesters plan to hand him a letter, outlining their objections to the fish farm. Following on from the rally, a team of divers is hoping to film the sea bed at the site of the proposed fish farm. The protest group is also seeking DNA sampling of the salmon feed used in such fish farms, in light of the recent horse meat controversy. â€Å“The public have a right to know about the amount of toxic chemicals and so called medicines used in the fish feed used in these fish cages,â€Â said Tommy. â€Å“It takes 75,000 tons of feeding to finish 15,000 tons of caged salmon annually, which is a five to one ratio. â€Å“Speculation is rife that poultry waste and vegetable abstracts are used in the salmon feed make-up. In the consumerâ€â„¢s interest this matter should be addressed and clarified as the food industry is reeling and certainly doesnâ€â„¢t need another fiasco.â€Â[/private]