SALMON and pearl mussels in the Lower Oykel river in the Highlands could be threatened if a proposed wind farm receives approval, according to campaigners.
Steven Mackenzie, manager of Lower Oykel Fishings, has written to Scottish rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon to outline his concerns.
“The construction process – traffic, the building of new roads, creation of bridges over these pristine waterways – could be devastating to the salmon population and highly-protected and rare freshwater pearl mussels,” he said.
The Scottish Government will consider the planning application for the 11-turbine wind farm at Strath Oykel, which will have a maximum height of 200 metres.
Ashley Smith, spokesman for local campaign group No Ring of Steel, said: “People in this part of the world have grave concerns about the impact of large-scale windfarm development.
“The impact on fishing could be devastating, and that would have serious consequences for the economy in this area.
“But people are also concerned about the impact enormous turbines would have on day-to-day quality of life.
“They would present an overwhelming change to the landscape, wrecking what is an unspoilt and unrivalled part of the country.
“Wildlife in the area beyond the rivers would also be affected.”
He added: “We’ve reached saturation point in this part of the Highlands and the area cannot take any more development.
“These turbines will be taller than any other building in Scotland, and would change the environment irreversibly.”
Read more stories on Scottish Field’s wildlife pages.
Plus, don’t miss Michael Wigan’s fishing column in October’s luxury issue of Scottish Field magazine.
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