THE founders of a sustainable salmon farming start-up say they hope to begin developing a project site near Arrochar within the next 12 months.

As previously reported in the Advertiser, Loch Long Salmon (LLS) was established last year and five locations were identified for the introduction of semi-closed fish farming systems, including Beinn Reithe.

This week the firm announced additional investment from food distribution company Golden Acre - and revealed further details of the next steps towards production.

LLS will only use semi-closed farming systems that have been proven to prevent sea lice from attaching to the farmed fish. The systems also have the capacity to capture salmon waste which can then be used as a natural fertilizer or in green energy production.

Stewart Hawthorn, LLS founding partner, said: “By eliminating sea lice our fish will be healthier, grow faster and will experience less stress. We will never need to use any sea lice treatment medicines.

“This is a win for us and our farmed animals. But it is also a win for the wider environment: no medication and zero increase in the sea lice population.

READ MORE: Loch Long site near Arrochar set for 'first-of-its-kind in Scotland' salmon farm

“Right now salmon waste is lost from the open nets and is dispersed into the environment.

“We want to capture as much of this as possible and turn it into a resource. We can capture more than 85 per cent of this waste by adapting the currently available technologies.”

The company’s aim is to raise 15,000 to 20,000 tonnes of salmon each year - and it expects to have full planning permission for the Beinn Reithe site by the end of 2021.

Once planning permission is granted, along with a development licence from SEPA, site construction should commence in 2022, with first stocking planned for early in 2023.

Christoph Harwood, director of Loch Long Salmon, said: “Our goal is to establish a new salmon farming company that addresses concerns about sea lice and organic waste accumulation.

“Semi-closed farming systems deliver this and support rural development in Scotland.

“We are delighted that Neale Powell-Cook and the team at Golden Acre have joined us to ensure that this goal becomes a reality.”

When the plans were announced in September last year the project founders said the scheme would be a “first-of-its-kind project for Scotland”.