Written Answers Nos 240-249
240. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments under the basic payment and areas of natural constraint schemes will issue to a person (details provided) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39019/15]
View answerAn application under the Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Schemes was received from the person named on 26 May 2015. Processing of the application under both schemes is currently in progress. On completion of this process, the application will be further reviewed with a view to payments issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the earliest possible date.
242. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to the proposal in Food Wise 2025 to review his Department’s aquaculture licensing system, if he will confirm the commencement date for the review; if he will confirm that the reviewer will be genuinely independent of his Department; the terms of reference for the review; and if he will confirm that he will publish the review report in full. [39037/15]
View answerFood wise 2025 sets out a cohesive, strategic plan for the development of the agri-food sector over the next decade. My Department is presently examining the recommendations contained in Food Wise 2025. Following examination of the recommendations my Department will implement the recommendations within the timeframe of Food Wise 2025.
243. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the public moneys paid to shellfish aquaculture operators and finfish aquaculture operators from national and EU funds in each of the years 2004 to 2014, inclusive. [39038/15]
View answerAll payments to aquaculture enterprises from my Department’s budget are made by Bord Iascaigh Mhara. I am advised by Bord Iascaigh Mhara that the amounts in the table below were paid to aquaculture enterprises over the period of this Government.
|
Year |
Finfish € |
Shellfish € |
|
2011 |
124,465 |
121,835 |
|
2012 |
90,903 |
100,994 |
|
2013 |
24,851 |
121,028 |
|
2014 |
72,807 |
283,168 |
244. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons employed full time and part time by finfish operators and shellfish operators in each of the years 2004 to 2014. [39039/15]
View answerI am advised by Bord Iascaigh Mhara that employment in finfish and shellfish aquaculture enterprises since this Government took office was as presented in the tables below.
|
Finfish |
Full-time |
Part-time |
Shellfish |
Full-time |
Part-time |
|
2011 |
119 |
62 |
2011 |
480 |
1,020 |
|
2012 |
199 |
66 |
2012 |
473 |
975 |
|
2013 |
140 |
75 |
2013 |
439 |
1,162 |
|
2014 |
123 |
84 |
2014 |
434 |
1,179 |
245. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria applied for the award of organic status to salmon farms. [39040/15]
View answerThe production of organic salmon from the marine resource is governed by the requirements of EU Council Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007 (as amended) and related applicable regulations.
The key criteria which must be observed in the production methodology include the following:
- organically certified juvenile fish
- organically certified feeding stuffs
- the maintenance of a lower than conventional stocking density within the marine containment systems
- certain limitations on the type and frequency of use of approved veterinary medicines (prescribed and administered under the control of a veterinary surgeon)
- the packing and handling of the harvested fish in approved premises.
246. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that the treatments used for the control of fish diseases on salmon farms are compatible with the organic status of the salmon produced on these farms. [39041/15]
View answer248. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the stocking density in salmon farm sites operated by Marine Harvest, by cage, for each of the years 2013 to 2015 to date. [39043/15]
View answer249. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the salmon farms that experienced sea lice problems this year; in respect of each of those salmon farms, the specific treatments that were applied in each case with the full name and dosage of the chemicals used; the number of treatments given, site by site, including the chemicals and dosages per site and per treatment; the dates for all treatments; and the number of accelerated harvests ordered by his Department due to sea lice infestations. [39044/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 246, 248 and 249 together.
Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 (as amended) and Commission Regulation (EC) No 710/2009 set out regulations governing the organic production of salmon from the marine resource, including the use of veterinary medicines.
Where treatments are used, including treatments under compulsory control and eradication schemes additional conditions are laid down including extended withdrawal periods.
In relation to stocking density, Annex XIIIa, Section 2of Commission Regulation (EC) No 710/2009, sets out details of the maximum stocking density for organic production of salmonids in sea water. The maximum stocking density in net pens is 10Kg/m3. These regulations are given practical effect through a series of national and international organic standards, with in many cases individual producers being accredited by reference to several such standards simultaneously. Accreditation is by way of independent audit by suitably qualified and accredited audit bodies.
The control protocols for the management of sea lice are operated by the Marine Institute on behalf of the State. A National Survey of Sea Lice on Fish Farms in Ireland is produced annually by the Institute. The survey for 2015 will be published in the first quarter of 2016 and will contain the specific information requested by the Deputy in the normal way.
All treatments used for the control of sea lice on salmon farms in Ireland, with the exception of the use of Cleaner Fish, are licensed animal remedies. The European Communities (Animal Remedies) (No. 2) Regulations 2007 (SI 786/2007) provides the legislative basis for licensing of veterinary medicines. Under this regime, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) acts as the main national licensing authority for veterinary medicines (animal remedies), while my Department licenses premises engaged in the commercial distribution of veterinary medicines. All animal remedies intended for use are required to be authorised in the State and may only be used in accordance with the conditions attached to the product authorisation. The treatments are used under the control and direction of veterinary surgeons, as provided for under the animal remedies legislation. The sea lice management and control protocols and in particular the Pest Management Strategy introduced in 2008 lay down conditions for the compulsory control of sea lice infestation levels on marine salmon farms. As part of this control strategy farm operators are required to undertake treatments to control lice infestation levels once certain trigger levels are reached. In certain circumstances treatments alone may not be the most appropriate strategy and in a number of limited circumstances an accelerated harvest may be required. In 2015 accelerated harvests were undertaken in two instances to date.
247. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that no conflict of interest exists for his Department and for Bord Iascaigh Mhara in the assessment of Bord Iascaigh Mhara's Galway Bay licence application, given that his Department’s fisheries division is responsible for both the governance of BIM and for the assessment of licence applications. [39042/15]
View answerAn application by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) for an aquaculture licence for the cultivation of finfish near Inis Oirr in Galway Bay was received by my Department in 2012. The application and its accompanying Environmental Impact Statement are being considered under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act.
The assessment process will take full account of all national and EU legislative requirements and will reflect the full engineering, scientific, environmental, legal and public policy aspects of the application.
There is always a strict separation between my Ministerial role as decision maker in respect of aquaculture licence applications and my Ministerial duty to promote the sustainable development of the industry. This separation of duties is strictly observed.
As the application is under active consideration as part of the statutory process it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this time.
