It is among the world’s last pristine wildernesses, with unique coastal waters rich in krill and squid that attract sea lions, elephant seals, dolphins and whales, and where penguins, of which there are five different species locally, outnumber people.
But plans to make the Falkland Islands, one of the most remote and furthest-flung British overseas territories, a new frontier for salmon farming has split the 3,500-strong population. Now, people opposed to salmon farming are calling for a referendum because they have lost confidence in a consultation process they claim is biased towards the industry.
Dr Tom Appleby, the head of legal affairs at the NGO Blue Marine Foundation, said: “It is extraordinary that the Falklands Islands government have got themselves in a position where they are providing reports to the public in this consultation that do not use independently verified primary data. The reports are so littered with disclaimers as to the sources of information as to be meaningless.”
Read to the full article from The Guardian here.
