Clare Daly
Question:496. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of all incidences of amoebic gill disease in farmed salmon here in the past two years. [47860/18]
View answerTuesday, 20 November 2018
Questions (496, 497)
Clare Daly
Question:497. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the incidence of amoebic gill disease reported in salmon farms here can be considered a potential threat to wild Atlantic salmon populations or other fish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47861/18]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 496 and 497 together.
Amoebic Gill Disease (AGD) is a common disease of farmed salmon and over the last two years AGD has been present in almost all salmon farms.
AGD is not listed as a disease requiring specific control measures in EU Council Directive 2006/88/EC and there is no legislative requirement for salmon farm operators to officially report the incidence of AGD.
However, under a voluntary good practice programme operated by the Marine Institute salmon farm operators report incidents of increased mortality on marine sites to the Institute when it exceeds specified trigger levels, regardless of the reason for the mortality.
The Marine Institute is not aware of any evidence that the occurrence of AGD in farmed salmon represents a potential risk to wild Atlantic Salmon population or other fish.