Vol. 421 No. 5
103 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for the Marine if he will outline, with regard to the operations of a company (details supplied), the likelihood of their exceeding their quota in Lough Swilly with the new cages in operation; and the reason the Fisheries Consolidation Act, 1959 is considered the most suitable mechanism to his Department to grant a licence to them rather than the Fisheries Act, 1980.
104 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for the Marine if he will outline, (a) the number of tonnes of salmon in Lough Swilly that a company (details supplied) are licensed to produce, (b) the number of tonnes they are actually producing, (c) whether the two new circular cages, which were moored close to their existing cages, are in use and if so the tonnage of salmon involved and (d) the licensing procedure under which these new cages have been moored.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 104 together.
The company in question holds a fish culture licence which authorises the annual production of 1,000 tonnes of salmon in Lough Swilly, and its production in 1992 will be marginally less than the licensed figure. The company is also the holder of a foreshore licence which authorises the mooring of cages at its fish farm site. Following structural damage to cages at its site during storm conditions earlier this year, the company has decided to replace a number of its steel cages with circular plastic cages. At present six such plastic cages are moored on site, and two of these are stocked. It is intended to phase in the replacement plastic cages, and to remove two blocks of steel cages before the winter. The mooring of the replacement cages is covered under the existing foreshore licence, and their presence does not indicate any increase in production above authorised levels.
As regards the mechanism used to license this fish farm, I would refer the Deputy to the replies given to him in response to similar questions on 13, 20 and 27 February 1992.
