Aquaculture Development

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2015

Tuesday, 14 July 2015

Questions (411)

Clare Daly

Question:

411. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 101 of 25 June 2015, his views that the targets for aquaculture production growth set out in the national strategic plan for aquaculture development are based on production peaks for various species achieved in different years, and are predicted on the highly implausible likelihood that the production peaks for these species will come together over the period of this plan; that this approach owes more to wishful thinking than to professional strategy; and that this plan should not therefore be the basis for spending public moneys. [29122/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 101 of 25 June 2015 that Ireland’s draft  National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development along with its accompanying environmental reports is currently undergoing public consultation until 24 July. On 2 July the Taoiseach launched Food Wise 2025, a new ten year strategy which sets ambitious targets and milestones for the agri-food sector and identifies an important role for aquaculture in relation to the seafood sector. My Department has also recently submitted the Seafood Development Programme, having undergone public consultation and environmental assessment, to the EU Commission for adoption. Over the coming months a negotiation process will proceed between Department and Commission officials and it is hoped that a final agreed document will be in place by the end of 2015 to allow full implementation to begin in 2016. With these key policies also under way the climate is right to propose ambitious targets and I look forward to stakeholder feedback through the ongoing consultation process.