Hundreds of people turned out in west Donegal last night in opposition towards proposals for oyster farming licences on Ballyness Bay in Cloughaneely.
More than 700 showed for the public meeting in Falcarragh that was organised by the ‘Save Ballyness Bay’ committee.
A petition that was set up to raise community awareness regarding the proposed multiple applications for aquaculture licences in Ballyness Bay registered almost 3000 signatures.
A spokesperson for the group said: “(There was an) amazing turnout for the Save Ballyness Bay Public Meeting in Falcarragh.
“Thank you to all who attended and all those that we’re unable to come along but were there in spirit.”
The proposed aquaculture licence applications in Ballyness Bay have sparked concern among locals who fear the development will negatively impact the natural area and tourism.
Ballyness Bay as a Special Area of Conservation due to its important features and the unique wildlife species that it shelters. Community members are worried about the ecological damage that any future development could cause. They are also concerned about the impact on jobs if the industrial site affects the beauty of the area and harms tourism.
The ‘Save Ballyness Bay’ action group is calling on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr Michael Creed T.D to reconsider allowing the bay to be used by the shellfish farming industry.
The Falcarragh Tidy Towns Committee, Clean Coast Committee, the Cloughaneely Angling Association and many individuals have written to the Minister to express their concerns.
Máire Uí Bhaoill of the Tidy Towns organisation wrote: “This is an underprivileged area economically where we depend to a large degree on tourism and on our natural beauty to attract visitors to the area.
“As a community we are outraged that anyone should presume to threaten what is precious and delicate to us without any consultation or indeed any regard for us, something that will have negative implications on our local area both socially and economically, as well as aesthetically.”
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