Marine body investigates loch pollution reports

Marine Scotland is investigating reports of a potential pollution incident at a scenic loch in the west Highlands.

Prawn fishermen at Loch Hourn have reported creels full of dead shellfish which smell strongly of bleach.

A trawler has also reported pulling up a net of dead marine life from the sea loch which looks out towards the Isle of Skye.

A Scottish government spokesperson said the Marine Directorate was investigating potential offences under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.

Situated between the remote Knoydart Peninsula and Glenelg, Loch Hourn stretches for approximately 14 miles (20km).

The pollution concerns were raised on 22 April when campaign group Friends of Loch Hourn were contacted by a local prawn fisherman.

He said his catch had comprised only small prawns not normally found in the creels, along with worms and the entire catch was dead and smelling of bleach.

Two days later a similar incident was reported by the skipper of a trawler.

A spokesman for group said: "For us, the first, largest, and most important is the tragic damage done to a huge swathe of the loch.

"And make no mistake, this is not some minor incident but in reality, something closer to an oil spill.

"Just because it is all on the seabed, maybe 100 metres down, with nothing to actually see from the surface does not alter the fact that this is an ecological catastrophe."

Friends of Loch Hourn is a community group which initially came together in 2020 in response to the planned expansion of a large open-pen salmon farm.

It now claims to have over 100 members made up of residents, regular visitors, landowners, fishermen and others who are concerned about the long-term future of the loch.

A Scottish government spokesperson said: "We have been made aware of reports of a potential environmental incident at Loch Hourn.

"This is an ongoing investigation, and we are liaising with partners

"Given this is still a live investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment."