Fish Farming

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 December 2015

Thursday, 3 December 2015

Questions (115)

Clare Daly

Question:

115. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will instruct Bord Iascaigh Mhara to remove from its website all references to the amount and usage of chemicals on Irish fish farms such as chemicals that are rarely used on today’s Irish fish farms, as he has made it clear that neither he nor any of the agencies under the aegis of the Department, such as Bord Iascaigh Mhara or the Marine Institute, has any data on which to base such statements. [43240/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

As I have previously advised the Deputy, the specific text on the Bord Iascaigh Mhara website referred to by the Deputy reads as follows: “Chemicals are rarely used on today’s Irish fish farms. The only chemicals used would be medicines which, if needed, are administered by a veterinary surgeon and detailed in records that are routinely inspected by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Young salmon are vaccinated before being put to sea, which means that the use of antibiotics is almost non-existent”.

The above text makes it clear that the chemicals referred to, are in fact medicines, that they are administered by a veterinary surgeon and that the records detailing their use are routinely inspected by my Department. I am satisfied that Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s inclusion of this text on their website is appropriate.