Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 1

Written Answers. - Aquaculture Development.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

48 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources when his Department was notified of the mortalities of fish on a farm as outlined in a newspaper article (details supplied); the date on which inspections were carried out by fish pathologists and engineers; the reports made arising from these inspections; and the conclusions, if any, reached by his Department or by the Marine Institute concerning the cause of these fatalities. [21870/98]

Michael Finucane

Question:

71 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he has received a report from his Department's fish pathologist following the death of a large number of salmon at locations (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the serious concerns expressed by the Western Regional Fisheries Board as to the disposal of the fish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21848/98]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 71 together.

The company in question informed the Department of mortality problems in May and June of this year. Initial tests by the Department's fish health pathologist on fish sampled yielded no pathogenic organisms on culture.

Further reports of mortalities on the farm were brought to my Department's attention in late July. An inspection of the farm was carried out on a joint basis by the Marine Institute and the Department on 19 August last. Further inspections were carried out on 5 and 6 October by the Department's fish health pathologist.

The report of the fish health pathologist has indicated that the principal cause of mortalities on the farm was a severe form of pancreas disease (PD) known as sudden death syndrome (SDS), for which there is no effective treatment. Neither disease posed any threat to wild fish since neither PD nor SDS occurs or has ever been described as occurring in wild fish. There is absolutely no risk to human health from PD and SDS as these conditions occur only in farmed salmon.

In incidents such as that which occurred on this site, the normal response by companies is an accelerated harvest of healthy fish. In this case the company followed this procedure and arranged the removal of the mortalities to a rendering plant in County Meath. I understand that as this could only be arranged on a weekly basis it was necessary to store the dead fish in containers on the cage-raft and there is no evidence to suggest that dead fish were dumped at sea.

The reports of the inspections carried out are being assessed at present by my Department and their conclusions will be conveyed to the company in question. The conclusions will also be conveyed to concerned parties including the Western Regional Fisheries Board and the Central Fisheries Board. The evidence available at this stage suggests that a particularly difficult situation was handled as well as possible by the company.