MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Should’ve gone to salmon-savers!” Falklands Unity Marine Limited

There is a strong feeling in the Falklands community that aquaculture is closely linked to salmon farming

Unity Marine Ltd. is a Falkland Islands company linked to the aquiculture industry, which has for many years tried to interest the Legislative and local community in diversifying the Islands economy, through fish farming.

As the world grapples with a cost-of-living crisis, the Falkland Islands are additionally wrestling with how to fund capital projects. With costs for the new port prohibitive and infrastructure decisions needing to be made on the power station, schools and hospital; very difficult decisions are going to have to be made as to what the country wants and needs versus what the country can afford. Trying to balance these issues and maintaining standards of living will clearly be difficult, as evidenced by recent comments regarding FIG needing to dispassionately review subsidies.

There is no easy solution to resolving these issues, however generating additional economic income in the long-term would clearly be a significant help. For years, MLAs have spoken of the need for economic diversification and securing inward investment, supported by numerous Islands Plans, and Rural and Economic

Development Strategies. A recent workshop held at the Chamber of Commerce reiterated the desire, and need for, securing new It is the same MLAs who are now contending with vital infrastructure decisions, who are admitting that the Falklands cannot afford to do everything it wants, and are openly talking about having to make difficult decisions on government expenditure, who so recently chose to dismiss the potential for aquaculture development in the Islands prior to doing any of the meaningful work needed to understand the potential opportunities and risks.

It should be remembered that this was an area of potential economic diversification and inward investment that had been previously identified by FIG, with industry encouraged to come forward with proposals. At no point was it ever suggested that growth should come at any cost to the environment or society, only that risks and opportunities should properly be understood before decisions are made.

It is the same MLAs who are now contending with vital infrastructure decisions, who are admitting that the Falklands cannot afford to do everything it wants, and are openly talking about having to make difficult decisions on government expenditure, who so recently chose to dismiss the potential for aquaculture development in the Islands prior to doing any of the meaningful work needed to understand the potential opportunities and risks.

It should be remembered that this was an area of potential economic diversification and inward investment that had been previously identified by FIG, with industry encouraged to come forward with proposals. At no point was it ever suggested that growth should come at any cost to the environment or society, only that risks and opportunities should properly be understood before decisions are made.

Regardless of individual feelings on an emotive subject, it should be of concern to all that while the Falklands have said for decades that the economy needs to be diversified and grown, with investment encouraged, in practice there is no policy or coherent strategy to objectively consider proposals that are presented. A sensible process originally endorsed by MLAs for carrying out the work needed to make an informed decision was reneged on, with no work having been carried out on economic reward vs environmental and societal risk.

The failure of decision makers to follow due process has serious implications for all aspects of society, and they should be held to account as and when difficult and painful financial decisions are made.

Unity Marine Ltd