Vol. 574 No. 1
122 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans to deal with the issue of high populations of sea lice in Irish fish farms; and the impact that such levels are having on wild salmon and sea trout. [26375/03]
147 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has satisfied himself with his Department's enforcement record in relation to dealing with the problem of sea lice on Irish fish farms. [26368/03]
155 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has satisfied himself with his Department's record on controlling the problem of sea lice in Irish fish farms. [26377/03]
178 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his Department's record in relation to controlling sea lice populations in Irish fish farms. [26376/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 122, 147, 155 and 178 together.
There is a clear commitment to ensuring that the operation, and any further development, of the aquaculture industry takes place in accordance with high environmental standards and in a manner consistent with the conservation and protection of wild fisheries. It was for this reason that action was taken on a precautionary basis some years ago to establish arrangements for monitoring and control of sea lice levels at marine finfish farms. These arrangements have been developed in the intervening period into a comprehensive national monitoring and control programme. The programme involves the carrying out by the Marine Institute, on behalf of my Department, of 14 inspections of each marine finfish site each year. If an inspection detects the presence of sea lice at a site at levels in excess of the very strict trigger levels which are applied in this country, the operator of the site in question is required to apply an appropriate treatment to effect a reduction in the lice levels. These arrangements have been successful in bringing about significant reductions in the level of sea lice at fish farms over the years. For example, in 2002 87% of inspections found lice levels to be less than the rigorous trigger levels for treatment.
The position in the current year has been somewhat less satisfactory. While over 70% of smolts sampled had no ovigerous lice, fish which were one winter at sea were found to have lice levels in excess of treatment trigger levels in 32% of inspections. During the critical spring period, levels were above treatment triggers in almost 41% of the samples taken. These data are a matter of concern and my Department will be reviewing the situation, in conjunction with the Marine Institute, as a priority. Attention will focus on factors that may have contributed to the higher lice levels detected this year. In addition, the systems and procedures underpinning the monitoring and control programme will be examined as part of the wider review of monitoring, control and enforcement in respect of aquaculture that is being undertaken by my Department.
