A robust shellfish biotoxin monitoring regime is essential in order to protect consumers and safeguard the good reputation of the Irish seafood industry. I am aware that a number of bays in the Southwest have experienced temporary suspensions of harvesting over the Winter as the level of biotoxins exceeded the regulatory limits. Such harvesting suspensions are not unusual and all aquaculture enterprises will be aware that this is a known business risk in the sector. However, I am informed by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority that the toxicity events in the Southwest are abating. Some of the production areas in Southwest have already re-opened for harvesting, and lifting of suspensions in certain other production areas appears to be imminent.
I have received a request from aquaculture industry representatives for a package of compensation for rope mussel farming enterprises affected by harvesting suspensions. My Department is presently finalising a new Seafood Development Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) which will determine how we use the finite resources that will be available to us in the coming years in the overall best interests of Ireland and its seafood sector as a whole. I will be publishing a detailed consultation document and Strategic Environmental Assessment for public consultation in the next month or so, with a view to submitting the new Programme to the Commission by May this year for its consideration and adoption.
The EMFF Regulation sets out a legal framework under State Aid rules and the European Structural and Investment Funds concerning investment measures that Member States may implement in the period up to 2020. This potentially includes compensation aid to aquaculture enterprises for suspended harvests, but there are of course many other worthwhile investment possibilities allowed under the EMFF and national choices must be made between competing demands. So, as part of the preparation of the new Programme, my Department has been following a structured process of considering the investment needs of the seafood industry as a whole. Stakeholders have been consulted on this on a number of occasions to date. This has helped shape my initial thoughts on investment priorities and when I publish the consultation draft of the Programme shortly, my proposals will become clear. I will welcome all views at that point on the extent to which our resources should be directed towards compensation for suspended harvests.
