Vol. 491 No. 6
82 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the plans, if any, he has to monitor the deteriorating quality of water at Lough Derg, Portumna, County Galway; if he will report on the declining variety of fish species and plant life in the lake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13124/98]
Water quality is a critical element in the protection of fisheries and the fisheries boards, under my direction, give a very high priority to ensuring its quality. The fisheries boards undertake intensive water quality monitoring and actively pursue polluters.
My colleague, the Minister for Environment and Local Government also has specific statutory responsibilities for water quality. He is currently spearheading a water quality management programme, which is being co-financed by the EU Cohesion Fund, for the River Shannon and all its tributaries from its source, north of Lough Allen to Killaloe south of Lough Derg. Significant investment, amounting to more than £39 million, has been allocated to upgrade sewerage networks and waste water treatment plants, including phosphate removal at the main population centres. The local management of the projects under the programme are being carried out by operational management groups on which all of the local authorities in the catchment areas are represented, together with the central and regional fisheries boards, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Environment and Local Government.
Under this programme, a catchment monitoring and management system is being established for Lough Derg and Lough Ree. Consultants were appointed for this work in 1997 and it is expected that approximately £2.3 million will be expended over three years in setting up the monitoring and management system. The fisheries boards, local authorities, EPA, ESB and Teagasc are also supplementing this monitoring programme.
In regard to the suggestion of a decline in the variety of fish species, I am satisified from inquiries with the Central Fisheries Board that there is no evidence of such a situation. The Deputy may wish to note that as recently as nine months ago University College Galway, published the Lough Derg Coarse Fish report. This report concludes, inter alia that the stocks of coarse fish in the lake had not declined.
