I was delighted to publish in December Ireland's National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development. That Plan proposes 24 actions to drive the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector and grow production in the sector by 45,000 tonnes by 2023. This output increase will be derived from a combination of increased and or restored productivity from the existing aquaculture licence portfolio and from a limited number of new licences. The makeup of this increased output will include shellfish, finfish, novel species and seaweed in a variety of different production systems, both intensive and extensive. This overall output increase will be largely dictated by market forces and site suitability for the cultivation of particular species. The future growth of salmon farming in Ireland is limited by spatial and environmental constraints in inshore bays. The use of larger, more exposed, offshore sites is increasingly a feature of the development of the sector globally and the environmental benefits of such sites, compared to inshore sites, are clear. I am advised that environmental impacts are predicted to decrease in offshore sites, where stronger currents and greater depths increase the dispersal of waste products and interactions with wild fish are lessened. In addition, competition for space with other users is likely to be less of an issue in sites further removed from the coast. Despite these potential benefits, no assumptions can be made as to the suitability of locations and individual sites for salmon farms, which can only be considered following rigorous assessment of potential environmental interactions.
Based on the advice of the Marine Institute, I included 'scale limits and phasing' in the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development that will be applied by my Department in relation to the development of individual offshore salmon farms. I also included six high-level principles, also recommended by the Marine Institute, which are intended to provide a broad direction to guide the ongoing development of sustainable aquaculture in Ireland and instil confidence in all stakeholders in the commitment to appropriate development of the industry.
On 21st December 2015 BIM indicated that, taking account of the new policy framework, BIM had reviewed its work programme to match its activities against the new Plan and was not proceeding with its current application for an aquaculture licence for a proposed 15,000 tonne organic salmon farm in Galway Bay.
I understand BIM is now re-assessing the delivery of the project in the context of the new operating environment and examining the operational and commercial impacts.
Under current relevant legislation the decision to submit an application for an aquaculture licence is a matter for the applicant.
