April 14, 2008

Northern Ireland refuses financial aid for jellyfish-hit salmon farm
 

The Northern Ireland Executive has rejected a salmon company's call for financial aid after its organic farm was attacked by jellyfish. 

The organic farm's stock of 250,000 salmon was wiped out last November when a swarm of tiny mauve stingers descended on the farm's cages at Glenarm Bay and Red Bay off the County Antrim coast.

The farm was owned by Northern Salmon Company, which was disappointed at the Executive's decision, meaning that they would have no aid to help restarting the business.

The company said Michelle Gildernew, Northern Ireland's minister for agriculture and rural development, had informed them that the Executive was not prepared to help the company with funding, which would have been in the form of a loan.

However, the company's directors have recently made positive progress with a number of investors and are looking forward to securing the future of Northern Ireland's organic food product with confidence, according to Northern Salmon Co.