The Isle of Man Government is looking for expressions of interest to run its fish farm.
The Cornaa hatchery, near Maughold, is used to rear around 20,000 rainbow trout a year, to stock the Island’s reservoirs for recreational angling.
Until recently the freshwater hatchery was leased to a private company, specialising in the production of rainbow trout eggs for the global market. As part of a 10-year agreement, the tenant’s site rental was offset against the production and stocking of fish to six reservoirs.
However, the company did not extend its lease in May, so the site is currently being operated by the Isle of Man Government as an interim measure, whilst an exercise to try to find a replacement tenant is undertaken.
A Prior Information Notice (PIN) has recently been issued and can be found on the Isle of Man Government’s procurement portal. It encourages interested parties to submit a brief summary of their experience, capability and proposal with regard to the production of fish to support recreational angling in reservoirs. Depending on the applications received an invitation to tender may follow.
Geoffrey Boot MHK, Minister for the Environment, Food and Agriculture, said:
‘We are keen to see recreational angling continue and we are looking for a new tenant to continue the production and stocking of high quality rainbow trout to the Island’s picturesque reservoirs.
‘This is a fabulous and rare opportunity to take on the Island’s only active fish farm where there is the chance for these activities to be carried out in conjunction with a more expansive business operation.’
Expressions of interest should be submitted by 21 August 2020.
