Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 October 2017
167. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the location, time and mortalities caused by jellyfish to salmon farms here in the past three years and to date in 2017; and the measures he plans to take to ensure the welfare and survival of farmed fish. [42013/17]
View answerMy Department has been advised by the Marine Institute that the information requested by the Deputy is as follows:
2014
- One site in County Donegal reported that jellyfish related mortality had occurred between June and September. This mortality was however, multifactorial in nature and it is not possible to quantify the losses which were specifically attributed to jellyfish.
- Two other sites located adjacent to each other, also in County Donegal, reported gill and skin lesions similar to those caused by zooplankton, in August. Significant gill pathology was identified on one site, whilst minor skin lesions were identified on the other. As these were harvest size fish, mortalities were avoided by accelerating their harvest.
2015
- One site in County Donegal reported that jellyfish related mortality had occurred in October/November when the loss of 145,000 fish was recorded.
2016
- One site in County Cork reported that a generation of fish which went to sea in November 2014 experienced 3.3% mortality during the period up to harvest in October 2016.
2017
- Four aquaculture sites reported jellyfish related mortalities between Weeks 32 and 39 (i.e from week beginning 7 August to week beginning 25 September). Three of these sites are located in County Galway and one is located in County Cork. Weekly mortality rates recorded during that period ranged from 2-19% in the southwest and from 1-80% in the west.
The welfare and survival of farmed fish which have suffered mortality due to an influx of jellyfish onto an aquaculture site, represents an acute episode, the management of which is overseen and directed by the operator’s private veterinary practitioner. The ongoing health and welfare of farmed fish on a given site is overseen by the veterinary practitioner, who is named in the health management plan that the operator supplies to the Marine Institute as part of the Fish Health Authorisation process. This care and direction is carried out in compliance with normal veterinary standards and within the parameters set out in the Farmed Salmonid Health Handbook, a document which was launched in 2011 and which supports an industry/ government backed Code of Good Practice. This approach is consistent with the requirements of SI No 261 of 2008 (European Communities (Health of Aquaculture Animals and Products) Regulations 2008 (as amended).
