Falkland Islanders opposed to a proposed large-scale salmon farm are demanding a referendum, expressing a loss of confidence in the ongoing consultation process. They claim the process is biased towards the industry.
The venture, a joint effort between local fishing company Fortuna and Danish firm F-land ApS, operating as Unity Marine, aims to produce 50,000 tonnes of salmon annually across 16 sites. This would represent the largest industrial inshore development in the archipelago's history.
An assessment commissioned by the Falkland Islands government indicated that farming 30,000 tonnes annually could contribute £35m a year to the territory's economy, equivalent to 11% of GDP, and generate 133 jobs.
However, critics, including Salmon Free Falklands (SFF), argue that reports informing the consultation are based on unverifiable data from Unity Marine and lack sufficient information on environmental impacts. Sally Poncet of SFF stated that a referendum would allow residents to make a definitive decision.
The government maintains that its commissioned reports are exploring various scenarios and are intended to inform public discussion, not provide final approvals. It also stated that full environmental impact assessments would be commissioned later.