My Department in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government published the Freshwater Pearl Mussel requirements in March 2008. These requirements were implemented from 31 March 2008. Consequently the moratorium on all clearfelling harvesting in Freshwater Pearl Mussel catchments has now been lifted.
The number of hectares licensed to date for clearfelling in each of the following catchments is as follows:
Munster Blackwater Catchment — 146.10 Ha's;
Bandon-Caha Catchment — 67.21 Ha's;
Aughavard Catchment — 11.00 Ha's;
Claddy Catchment — 13.60 Ha's;
Leannan Catchment — 48.90 Ha's;
Owenea Catchment — 40.20 Ha's;
Eske Catchment — 4.60 Ha's;
Owenriff Catchment — 17.80 Ha's;
Dawros Catchment — 5.80 Ha's;
Caragh Catchment — 22.80 Ha's;
Kerry Blackwater Catchment — 14.16 Ha's;
Newport Catchment — 21.30 Ha's;
Clodagh Catchment — 5.20 Ha's;
Licky Catchment — 94.60 Ha's.
A total of four licence applications are currently under consideration accounting for 108.24 Ha's of forestry. A further felling licence application for the clearfelling of 13.7 Ha's has been suspended.