My powers in this area derive from my role as the licensing authority for fish culture projects and relate to conditions which may be imposed through that regime. There are a number of other relevant agencies viz. Department of Agriculture which controls the use of pesticides under the relevant EC Directive; the National Drugs Advisory Board which has responsibilities in relation to availability of drugs and local authorities which have responsibilities under the Planning and Water Pollution Acts. The Working Group on Mandatory Codes of Practice for fin fish aquaculture industry which I established last year and which will report shortly was requested to consider and recommend on additional measures which may be required to enhance existing levels of monitoring and control.
The industry is not an intensive user of drugs and chemicals. Usage is low level and irregular. There is, however, a range of chemicals and drugs available to the fish farmer in Ireland for use as appropriate from time to time as follows:
Antifoulants (mostly copper based);
Actomar B 100 — disinfectant and biocide.
Actomar K 30 — disinfectant.
Divosan — disinfectant and biocide.
Chlormine B — Bacteriostat.
Chloramine T — Bacteriostat.
Canthaxanthine — Food pigmeat.
Malachite Green — Fungicide and parasite control.
Formalin.
Dichlorvos (Nuvan) — Pesticide (sea lice control).