asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry when a licence will be granted to a co-operative (details supplied) in County Donegal for scallops and if he is aware that his Department have taken scallop spat from this bay.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Scallops Licence.
10.
The application of the co-operative in question for a fish culture licence in respect of scallops was the subject of a recent meeting between representatives of the co-operative and officers of my Department as a result of which the co-operative is to submit a revised application in respect of a specific area of the bay.
Officers of my Department have been collecting scallop seed from this bay for relaying in other areas. This is an essential part of the programme of research for the area, aimed at monitoring the production of young scallops and the effects on them of transportation and resettlement.
I thank the Minister for his answer but I think it is not altogether true. I am sure he is aware that it is not true that it is only recently that these people contacted the person and looked for a licence. They had been looking for a licence for over two years and they cannot understand why they have not been granted a licence. Does the Minister intend to issue a licence to this co-operative in the near future?
This co-operative looked for a mussel fishery order in June 1979. The scientific staff in the Department discovered a large population of scallops subsequently and then the co-operative wrote to the Department saying that they had abandoned the idea of mussel culture and would concentrate on scallop culture. That would account for the delay. The Department are anxious that they have more information about the results of their work on it before they will make a decision or advise people. I assure the Deputy that co-operatives who are bona fide and wish to carry out mariculture work will get a licence.
Will they get a licence in the near future?
Yes. Two bodies are now interested in licences in the bay and they will get licences for particular areas of the bay.