Vol. 482 No. 7
23 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the research, if any, carried out by his Department into the recent spate of fish kills following heavy rainfall; if so, if this research indicates the cause of these kills; the action, if any, he is taking to prevent the reoccurrence of these kills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19133/97]
40 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the most recent figures for the number of reported fish kills; the estimated number of fish lost to date in 1997; the comparable figures for 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19024/97]
41 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the actions, if any, he has taken following a number of major fish kills on inland waterways from January to September 1997. [19008/97]
45 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the research, if any, which has been carried out on salmon stocks in our main rivers; if so, if he intends to publish this research; the proposals, if any, he has to assist fishing clubs or fishery boards to fund restocking; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19124/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 40, 41 and 45 together.
The Fisheries Research Centre has advised me that 39 fish kills have been reported to date in 1997, involving approximately 264,000 fish. The comparable statistics for 1996 are 47 reported involving 33,400 fish. I am sure that Deputies will share my serious concern that while the number of fish kills is slightly down on 1996, the destruction of fish due to several particularly appalling incidents was exponentially greater. The main causes of the 1997 fish kills identified to date were enrichment agriculture practices, sewage-water-works and industrial.
I am giving the highest priority to tackling pollution and the causes of pollution in fisheries and fish habitats. My six-point action plan is designed to ensure that the resources of the fisheries service and of all relevant agencies are co-ordinated and deployed to best effect to deal with pollution, both by tackling its causes and by acting swiftly when it occurs. I have asked the Central Fisheries Board to expedite implementation of the plan in consultation with the regional fisheries boards. The board is in the process of establishing a dedicated environmental co-ordination unit to advance this strategy together with progressing the other elements of the plan.
My overall objective is to ensure that resources are effectively deployed in the crucial tasks of pollution prevention, monitoring and incident response. To do this, we need a partnership approach across all the relevant agencies and sectors, to ensure that fisheries resources, and the habitats which support them, are protected and conserved; and I am confident that I will have the co-operation of all interested groups to achieve these goals.
