Vol. 451 No. 4
27 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to unapproved fish-farming developments on the foreshore at Abbeyside and Ballinacourty, Dungarvan, County Waterford; and the steps, if any, he is taking to stop this work until such time as a decision on the issuing of a licence for the area in question has been taken. [6623/95]
My Department is currently engaged in a process to regularise clam farming operations in Dungarvan Bay and is addressing the issue of ongoing unlicensed development in that context. Only one licence application for clam farming in the area in question is being considered although a number of other applications have been received to engage in clam farming for this area which is designated by the Office of Public Works, as a special protection area under the EU Birds Directive.
The parks and wildlife service has considerable reservations about the cumulative impact which extensive aquaculture development could have on the protected bird life within the area. It is, however, prepared to facilitate a pilot project pending further investigation to establish the degree of aquaculture activity which can be accommodated without significant impact on the ecosystem. Accordingly, the first applicant has been permitted to proceed to the public notice stage for the development and this process is under way at present.
This system of public consultation, through advertisement of development proposals in the local and national press is designed to elicit and facilitate views and-or objections by interested parties. Any observations made to the Department on foot of this process, with advice from the relevant statutory bodies, will be duly assessed by the Department's aquaculture licence vetting committee which advises on licensing applications from all relevant technical and other perspectives.
In the light of the expressed concerns about the possible impact of cumulative development, the Department has formally advised all other applicants that an alternative location for their developments will have to be identified. The Department's scientific technical services are willing and ready to assist the applicants and the local growers' association to come up with suitable alternative growing sites, with the assistance of BIM. The Department and the parks and wildlife service will also continue to co-operate and consult closely on the scope for aquaculture development within all areas of scientific interest, including SPA sites. This is to ensure that our stringent EU obligations on nature conservation are met while at the same time encouraging and facilitating a sustainable expansion of shellfish cultivation in the interests of jobs and growth.
