Vol. 501 No. 3
122 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the reason for granting licences for aquaculture developments in special areas of conservation, for example as in Gweebarra Bay, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5766/99]
The decision to license the cultivation of oysters and clams on two specific sites, measuring 4.3 hectares in all, in Gweebarra Bay, County Donegal followed public consultation and consultation with statutory organisations including Bord Fáilte which had no comments to offer and Dúchas, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, which confirmed it had no objection to the proposed aquaculture from a nature conservation point of view. Both Donegal County Council and the Northern Regional Fisheries Board indicated they had no objection.
The licensing decision was published in the Donegal Democrat on 14 January 1999 to meet the requirements of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997, (No. 23), so as to allow the applicant and any other interested person to appeal that decision to the independent statutory Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board established under that Act. As an appeal has been duly made to the board against that decision I am unable to comment on the decision.
The aquaculture licensing arrangements now in place require public advertisement and formal consultation with specified statutory organisations, including those referred to, on all licence applications. Licensing decisions are governed in particular by section 61 of the 1997 Act, which specifies key factors to be taken into account in the decision-making process, including existing and potential alternative beneficial uses of the areas concerned, the likely ecological and environmental effects of the proposed aquaculture, as well as the likely impacts on the economy and heritage value of those areas.
