Developments
All-new farm or planned expansion or relocation of an existing farm or facility, you'll find details of our current planning applications here.
The approved development, which received consent on 11/02/2026, forms part of our wider strategy to streamline our estate into a smaller number of farms located in areas that provide optimal growing conditions for our salmon. Through investment in modern infrastructure and improved farm design, we aim to enhance fish welfare, strengthen environmental performance and improve operational efficiency.
The Fish Holm application also formed part of a trial of a revised licensing and consenting process for salmon farms. The experience gained through this process will help inform future improvements to aquaculture consenting in Scotland.
The trial followed an independent review by Professor Russel Griggs in 2022, commissioned by Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon, which found the current process of consenting and licensing for aquaculture to be complex, with no joined up approach and, as such, was not working ‘as well as it could.’
In response, a Consenting Task Group was set up by the Scottish Aquaculture Council to deliver the review’s recommendations and develop a more streamlined and coordinated process to aquaculture regulation.
Pre-application
As part of the process, the pre-application stage brought together the two main consenting authorities – local authority planners and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) – who worked collaboratively to review the submission in consultation with key stakeholders, rather than considering the applications separately, as had previously been the case.
Engagement with local residents and businesses was central throughout. Scottish Sea Farms engaged with Shetland Islands Council, community councils and other marine users during the development of the application.
In addition, two public consultation events were held to provide the wider community with the opportunity to learn more about and discuss the proposals.
These events took place on:
Wednesday 21 February 2024
3pm to 7pm, Voe Public Hall, Isles Road, Voe, Shetland ZE2 9PT
Thursday 4 April 2024
3pm to 7pm, Vidlin Hall, Vidlin, Shetland ZE2 9QB
The full pre-application screening report is available on the SEPA website and includes responses from all statutory stakeholders.
The approved development will expand an existing consented salmon farm (Fish Holm) and relinquish one other consented site (Collafirth 3) in Yell Sound, Shetland.
Previous planning permission at Fish Holm (FFA/ZET/015) permitted 8 x 100m circumference pens, arranged 2 x 4 in a 50m grid, along with a 10m diameter C-Cap feed barge (200 tonne capacity) located to the southwest of the pen grid.
The previously consented biomass at Fish Holm (1,910t) and Collafirth 3 (1,200t) has now been consolidated into one larger farm at Fish Holm (with a permitted biomass of 6,000t). Consents at Collafirth 3 will be fully relinquished as part of the approved redevelopment of Fish Holm
The initial layout for which planning permission was going to be applied for, and which was presented at Pre-Application Consultation and EIA Scoping, proposed a farm configuration of 12 x 200m pens in a 150m grid.
Following feedback by fisheries stakeholders, the layout was revisited to assess whether adjustments could be made to reduce the footprint of the proposal.
Multiple variations of an altered farm layout were considered, assessing pen numbers, pen size, depth of net sidewall, mooring sizes, and grid size. Following a review of viable options, the preferred layout (12 x 160m pens in a 110m grid) was selected.
This still allows for optimal stocking density in terms of both fish welfare and deposition per unit area on the seabed but results in a 23% reduction in mooring extent.
A comparison of the initial layout proposed and the preferred option now presented in the EIA Report and the associated planning application is shown below:
The approved development includes:
- Replacement and repositioning of the previously consented pens with 12 x 160m pens in a 110m mooring grid
- Installation of a new feed barge
- Replacement of hamster wheel top nets with pole-supported top nets
- Introduction of a double netting system with an 18mm inner mesh and 75mm outer mesh
This enables us to:
- Increase the space between pens, maximising water exchange and oxygen levels
- Improve operational efficiencies
- Boost fish health, welfare and survival
- Grow harvest volumes
As with our other farms, each pen will be stocked in line with RSPCA Assured densities of 1.5% fish to 98.5% water, with a maximum permitted biomass of 6,000 tonnes.
To protect fish from interaction with marine predators, pens will be equipped with predator defence netting systems and pole-mounted top nets.
A feed barge adjacent to the pens will house a camera-monitored feeding system, office and welfare facilities for the farm team, and storage for fish feed.
The development will be equipped with the latest farm infrastructure.
This includes 160m circumference pens with a pole-supported top netting system.
The pole-supported top netting system, designed to provide a barrier between farmed salmon and seabirds, features a mix of 100mm x 100mm mesh on the upper layer and 75mm x 75mm mesh on the sides – both small enough to prevent bird access while large enough to prevent bird entanglement
Adjacent to the pens will be a modern feed barge, featuring a boat-like design to help it blend into the local seascape
Shore base
In addition to the feed barge stationed at Fish Holm, the farm will be supported by our existing Setterness shore base, from which the farm team will travel to and from the site.
Regional and National Contribution
Salmon farming is among the largest private employers in Shetland, and the approved redevelopment and expansion of Fish Holm will help protect and strengthen that contribution by:
- Securing farm jobs and support roles for the longer term
- Ensuring continued onward spend by employees in their local communities
- Generating local business through investment in new farm infrastructure, installation and ongoing maintenance
Economic benefit
The development represents a capital investment (CapEx) of approximately £11 million. The total Gross Value Added (GVA), taking into account indirect and induced spend, is estimated at approximately £22 million.
Based on historic expenditure across Shetland, it is estimated that 16.4% of the total GVA will be spent locally, meaning that approximately £3.6 million is expected to be spent in Shetland during the construction and installation of Fish Holm.
For operational expenditure (OpEx), the total revenue spend during a 22-month production cycle is approximately £33.6 million. The total annual GVA, accounting for indirect and induced spend, is estimated at £24.8 million per annum.
This means that the total annual spend within Shetland while Fish Holm is operating is expected to be approximately £5.7 million per annum (based on 16.4% spent locally).
Together, these investments are expected to deliver significant positive effects for the local supply chain in Shetland, both during initial set-up and throughout ongoing operations.
Both of these would therefore result in significant positive effects for our local supply chain in Shetland, at initial set up and during ongoing operations.
National contribution and beyond
Scottish farmed salmon is consistently one of the most valuable food exports in both Scotland and the wider UK.
Farm developments such as Fish Holm – designed to enhance fish health, welfare and survival – will support sustainable production growth, increase volumes available for market, and help meet the needs of a growing global population.
Have a question related to our consolidation and development of Fish Holm that’s not addressed here?
You can contact our Development team by:
- Emailing development@scottishseafarms.com
- Phoning 01631 574000
- Writing to Development team, Scottish Sea Farms, Barcaldine Hatchery, Glen Dubh Walk, Oban, Argyll, PA37 1SQ.
