Fish farming - permitted development rights: guidance

Changes permitted without prior notification (quick look up)

39. The following changes may be made by an operator, other than at a 'fallow fish farm', without prior notification to the planning authority;

• replacement of an existing finfish pen in the same location with a pen of the same size, colour and design;

• replacement of top net or support where that equipment is to be of the same size, colour and design;

• An operator may replace a long line with a long line of the same size, colour and design without providing prior notification to the planning authority;

• replacement of an existing mooring in the same location with a mooring of the same size, colour and design (where that location is not within a European site or nature conservation Marine Protected Area (MPA) only);

• Change of use; mussels or pacific or native oyster cultivation to scallops;

• Change of use; scallops or pacific or native oyster cultivation to mussels;

• Change of use; pacific oyster, mussel or scallop cultivation to native oyster;

• Replacement of a fin fish pen net with a fin fish pen net of the same size, colour and design;

• Replacement of a trestle in the same location with a trestle of the same size, colour and design without prior notifying the planning authority.

40. All other changes described in this document require prior notification to the local planning authority who will undertake consideration of whether their prior approval is required prior to the development taking place.

41. Where any proposed changes are likely to alter the centre point of a fish farm the operator must contact Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) (ms.fishhealth@gov.scot) prior to the change taking place as is required by the conditions of Aquaculture Production Business authorisation. Such changes could include changes to the position of moorings, cages, long line or trestles within the permitted planning boundary. Any proposed installation of additional or replacement cages, long lines or trestles must also be reported to the FHI.