Moray FLOW-Park could mean ‘destruction of way of life’, fishing insider warns
Fishermen have warned that new plans to use two nine-kilometre stretches of the Moray Firth as a storage facility for huge wind turbine bases could be catastrophic for their industry.
The Moray FLOW-Park project would see foundations for floating offshore wind turbines temporarily anchored off the Moray coast during construction or bad weather.
Diagrams released by Offshore Solutions Group (OSG), the firm behind the proposal, show the maximum extent of the facility coming within three kilometres of Findhorn, Burghead and Nairn - and just one kilometre from the RSPB reserve at Culbin Sands.
According to the OSG website, these floating turbine bases are typically “very large” - weighing up to 10,000 tonnes and measuring 100 metres by 100 metres - while a 2023 report on the website said they are typically 40 metres high.
In April, OSG confirmed it had signed a two-year “exclusivity agreement” with Crown Estates Scotland covering the seabed in both of the two-kilometre wide sections - which have a combined area equivalent to 5600 football pitches.
Will Rowley, CEO and founder of OSG, said the company was still in the “early stages of undertaking technical assessments”.
According to OSG’s website, the company is “on target” to start construction in 2027.
In October, French engineering firm Setec invested £500,000 into the project, which has already received funding from Scottish Enterprise.
OSG also suggested that the project could provide employment and investment in the local area, and would be an important resource for Scotland’s offshore wind industry.
‘Destroying traditional fishing grounds’
One person with close links to the fishing industry that we spoke to, on condition of anonymity, shared concerns about the possible impact of the project.
At a meeting last week, more than two-dozen fishermen and industry representatives agreed to push OSG to relocate the planned site of the project away from fishing grounds.
The spokesperson said local fishermen had only learned about the Moray FLOW-Park plans in recent weeks - nearly six months after the Crown Estate signed the exclusivity deal with OSG.
Local fishermen felt “steamrolled” by the lack of consultation, the insider added, and like any knowledge they have about the project has been gained “third-hand”.
This lack of information led to confusion about whether the project had already been agreed, they said, despite OSG having only received permission to survey the potential sites and with any construction still more than a year away.
However, the fishing insider said the facility would “decimate” many of the only fishing grounds on the Moray Coast which are suitable for the area’s small vessels if it was given the go ahead.
“The fishermen are really disappointed at the fact that they found out through this project third hand, and neither the company nor the Crown Estates have spoken directly to them,” the spokesperson added.
“These are the people whose livelihoods are at risk.
“They're not against renewable energy, but it surely can't come at the cost of destroying traditional fishing grounds and the way of life that has been there for generations?”
The Moray FLOW-Park project, according to the insider, would require large anchor points to be installed on the seabed which would then be chained to turbine bases.
“With the tide moving back and forth, the chains are going to move back and forth and decimate anything that's there,” the spokesperson added.
“Once they've been in, once they've destroyed the bottom, anything that has been living in the sand there will be completely gone.
“That fishing ground is never coming back, ever.”
Claims of jobs and economic benefits
A “lessons learnt” report, written in 2024 by OSG and engineering consultants HR Wallingford, stated that a FLOW-park could create a total of 1655 jobs, 1241 of these in the local area.
It also stated that £126 million would be spent on the project over the lifetime of the site, though only £65 million of this would be “delivered locally or regionally”.
The OSG website also refers to an “independent study” which suggested a FLOW-park could generate £126 million and more than 1200 jobs - however it is not clear whether this refers to the same document.
The spokesperson from the fishing community argued the company had not provided any evidence for its claims about the number of jobs or investment in the economy.
In fact, they said, the knock-on impact could mean significant numbers of job losses in fishing and related businesses like fish processing, shipbuilding and fuel.
‘This is a serious concern’
Buckie-based MSP Tim Eagle is set to host a public meeting on Moray FLOW-Park later this month, with chief executive Mr Rowley expected to attend.
Mr Eagle said he was particularly concerned at the possible impact the facility might have on local fishermen because of its impact on fishing grounds and boat movements.
"Given that we are talking about very large installations such as floating offshore wind platforms, and they would be close inshore, it seems inevitable that they would be very visible to anyone looking across the Moray Firth from the shore,” he added.
“Usually, for a project of this scale, there would be an open planning process that would allow local people to engage with it, but because of its offshore location that has not fully happened.
“I hope by arranging this meeting, local people will learn more and have an opportunity to raise any concerns they may have."
"This is a serious concern and I am arranging for Mr Rowley to personally meet with members of the fishing community.
“If this project goes ahead we must fight to ensure that there are significant benefits for the people of Moray given that it is us who would be hosting it."
Mr Eagle also confirmed that the Leader of Moray Council, Councillor Kathleen Robertson (Forres, Conservative), would be attending.
‘Dismay and disappointment’
Councillor Sonya Warren (Buckie, SNP), said that the lack of consultation had caused fishermen to feel “dismay and disappointment”.
She was among the attendees at a meeting, attended by more than 25 fishermen and the Scottish White Fish Producers Association, last week.
“Neither the company behind the plans nor Crown Estate Scotland have directly consulted the people whose livelihoods could be most affected,” Cllr Warren said.
“Fishermen raised concerns about the potential loss of traditional fishing grounds, the impact on small local boats, and the visual effect on our coastline.
“Our fishing community deserves to be properly involved from the very beginning of discussions about projects of this scale and importance.
“I’ll continue to press for early, meaningful consultation so that the voices of Moray’s fishermen and harbour users are heard loud and clear before any decisions are taken.”
‘A fully transparent dialogue’
Mr Rowley said that relations with “all stakeholders” would be “central” to the FLOW-Park’s success.
He added that, while the project is at an early stage, his firm has “undertaken several conversations to introduce the project to relevant MSPs, MPs and Moray Council”.
“We also maintain a fully transparent dialogue with the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and Scottish White Fish Producers Association, alongside environmental and maritime regulators,” Mr Rowley said.
“We are still in the early stages of undertaking technical assessments with further activities to come over the next few years.
“However, the project is now at a sufficient stage for us to be able to give meaningful information to local stakeholders, which is all within the public domain.
“We hope this will result in feedback which we can take into consideration in order to minimise impact and maximise local value.
“Liaising with Community Councils and other groups gives us the opportunity to react directly to local input, prior to further public consultation as the project develops.
“And whilst we are proactively approaching them, we would urge any interested parties to contact us directly should they wish to find out more.”
Mr Rowley also confirmed that Buckie had been selected as the “planned mobilisation and demobilisation port” for an upcoming survey campaign.