Lamlash Bay - noise pollution from fish farms

[JumbleDuck]

Several of us have found Lamlash Bay to be unpleasant or intolerable for overnight stops as a result of the extremely loud sonic deterrents used by the fish farms there.

Someone suggested that I contact SEPA about it. I did, and they passed the buck ("We only deal with discharges") on to the Crown Estate who in turn have passed the buck ("We no longer regulate fish farming") onto North Ayrshire Council.

I plan to right to them to point out that in order to protect two fish farms, the whole of Lamlash Bay is being cleared of marine mammals and the tourist income from visiting boats threatened. If anyone else is worried about the situation, multiple letters might help. I'll try a letter to the Arran Banner as well.

I wonder if this is something which either the CCC or the RYA Scotland might take up.

 

[FlyingGoose]

I would assume the council for ny noise pollution , their environmental dept may help
Also you can contact the No take Zone group at Lamlash bay,
Contact the Holy Island ferry and morning person , who also might have noticed the nosies
Aslo the community council for that part of Arran

 

[awol]

I anchored off Holy Isle last Tuesday night. Had an occasional non-rythmic squeak which could have been my boat or anything else, certainly not annoying enough to stop me sleeping.

 

[cpedw]

I anchored off Holy Isle last Tuesday night. Had an occasional non-rythmic squeak which could have been my boat or anything else, certainly not annoying enough to stop me sleeping.

I understand that the noise is quite a high frequency, the sort that some older gentlemen may not be able to hear even though they don't yet need a hearing aid.

 

[awol]

I understand that the noise is quite a high frequency, the sort that some older gentlemen may not be able to hear even though they don't yet need a hearing aid.

✌ (closest I could find)

 

[FlyingGoose]

in all fairness I was in Lamlash bat 3 weeks ago and never heard a thing.

 

[dunedin]

in all fairness I was in Lamlash bat 3 weeks ago and never heard a thing.

Ditto on the visitor moorings.

Jumbleduck, where were you anchored / moored when you heard the noises?

There are quite a few noisy fish farms, the one at Corran Ferry was the worst by far a couple of years ago. But not noticed at Lamlash.

 

[jimi]

At least the piper isn't there! When I was a lad we used to have many a weekend camping in Farmer MacDonald's field behind the Pier Head Tavern and spending all our money in the PHT. Occasionally I'd stumble along the foreshore in the very early morning trying to clear my head only to be assailed by the distant pipes on Holy Island.

 

[ctva]

We had the same last year anchoring at Tanera Mor. We also found neither the landowner of SEPA interested. I recall seeing an item on Landward within the last year discussing it and I meant to follow up with the organisation mentioned but forgot about it.

 

[Giblets]

JD, perhaps you could suggest that every visiting boat be presented with a bottle of finest malt whiskey FOC to make up for the inconvenience and to aid the process of a decent nights sleep along with a free pack of paracetamol for the following mornings "tenderness"!

 

[awol]

JD, perhaps you could suggest that every visiting boat be presented with a bottle of finest malt whiskey FOC to make up for the inconvenience and to aid the process of a decent nights sleep along with a free pack of paracetamol for the following mornings "tenderness"!

One of the pleasant effects of malt whisky is the lack of hangover. Portuguese brandy is bad in that respect. I have no idea about whiskey.

 

[Carib]

One of the pleasant effects of malt whisky is the lack of hangover.

Not in my experience..!

 

[FlyingGoose]

Whiskey makes me a rampant mad man , with an opinion, and the wife has banned me from it, to only a wee dram
Whats changed some might ask .

 

[dgadee]

Whiskey makes me a rampant mad man , with an opinion, and the wife has banned me from it, to only a wee dram
Whats changed some might ask .

I had a friend many years ago. So pleasant. Until he drank whisky. Always ended up fighting the Edinburgh police. A string of convictions. Only whisky did it to him.

 

[awol]

I had a friend many years ago. So pleasant. Until he drank whisky. Always ended up fighting the Edinburgh police. A string of convictions. Only whisky did it to him.

Wasn't called Hurricane Jack, by any chance?

 

[newtothis]

I had a friend many years ago. So pleasant. Until he drank whisky. Always ended up fighting the Edinburgh police. A string of convictions. Only whisky did it to him.

Whisky always smells of violence and regret.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Whisky always smells of violence and regret.

Maybe to you, but to the majority it is the uisce na beatha devoid of any violence and a source of applause.

JumbleDuck, very good point, possibly unintended consequences extend further than just noise polution for us humans. PM sent.

 

[grandpaboat]

I understand that the noise is quite a high frequency, the sort that some older gentlemen may not be able to hear even though they don't yet need a hearing aid.

I was on a mooring there overnight on Thursday and didn't notice. However I am in the older and Tinnitus category. So there are some benefits after all.

 

[MM5AHO]

I have put up with that noise a few times now. It's source is the fish farm off Kingcross near the south entrance.
Ig you anchor anwhere close the the feed pontoon of that farm is unbearable, but is just audible from the moorings off the town, or the Tibetan Retreat off Holy Isle, though in tose two places not unbearable, just noiticeable. Its audible for about 1.5 to 2 km. Put you head on the mast compression post (if deck mounted mast), or the mast itself (if keel stepped), and you'll hear something akin to a 1990s computer dial up modem.
SEPA are responsible for noise (and any vibration) when covered by a PPC permit, but fish farms aren't usually under PPC regulations. Otherwise it is the Environmental department of a Council.
Another particularly loud emitter is the fish farm on the north side West of the Corran Narrows.

 

[awol]

Despite the suggestion from one cheeky forumite that I am doited with presbycusis I can concur that the squeaks I heard while anchored in the mystical aura emanating from Holy Isle had a similarity to a dial-up modem (another age indicator?). It is a couple of years since I tried to sleep on the north side of the Corran Narrows - the noise then seemed to be in sync with a rotating arm on one fish cage and was sleep destroying.