Holly Cairns
Question:12. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the role of the salmon farming sector and its impact on local ecology and tourism will be reviewed. [38149/21]
View answerThursday, 15 July 2021
Questions (12)
Oral answers (12 contributions)
In the same week we found out about the granting of a licence for a large salmon farm in Bantry Bay, Argentina effectively banned the practice due to its serious environmental implications. Bantry Bay is the latest of several recent aquaculture projects that locals are deeply concerned about. Will the Minister conduct a review of salmon farming and its impact on biodiversity, ecology and industries dependent on the local environment, such as fishing and marine tourism? So often community groups in west Cork have had to raise huge sums and devote a great deal of time to seek judicial reviews to right questionable decisions about this in regard to the environment. We cannot ask them to do that again.
All applications for aquaculture licences for the cultivation of salmon are considered in accordance with an extensive suite of national and EU legislation, including the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997, the Foreshore Act 1993, the EU birds and habitats directives and the consolidated environmental impact assessment directives of 2014. This suite of legislation provides for stringent consideration and consultation in respect of the environmental and ecological impacts of the proposed activity, as well as extensive consultation opportunities with both the public and statutory bodies regarding all aspects of the application including tourism.
All applications for salmon farm licences must be accompanied by a detailed environmental impact assessment report. This report forms a key element of the deliberative process and is fully assessed by my Department’s scientific and technical advisers. The reports are, furthermore, subject to scrutiny and assessment by a significant number of prescribed statutory consultees. The environmental impact assessment report and application form are also made available to the public as part of a public consultation process.
The statutory consultees include Bord Fáilte Ireland, whose role is to support long-term sustainable growth of the economic, social, cultural and environmental contribution of tourism to this country. The views of Bord Fáilte and of all statutory consultees, together with the views of the public as submitted as part of the public consultation process, are taken fully into account in arriving at a determination in respect of the aquaculture application. The consideration of the impacts on local ecology and tourism constitute an important element of my Department's consideration of any application for an aquaculture licence, and rightly so. It is a comprehensive and detailed assessment, with significant public consultation.
The granting of the salmon farm licence is against the wishes of a substantial number of local groups, including community organisations and fishing communities. The Minister referred to marine tourism but it is difficult to understand how this could ever benefit marine tourism. Campaigners, State agencies and businesses have repeatedly raised concerns about the impact of such an industrial farm. Sea lice from salmon farms can have a significant and detrimental impact on sea trout and wild salmon. Officials from the Department have identified issues with the company involved, including overstocking farms and harvesting higher quantities of fish than permitted under the licence. Moreover, one of the Minister's predecessor, Deputy Creed, discounted a licence for a farm in Kerry.
I appreciate what the Minister said about reports and so on but he and I both know the reality of farming. Given what other countries are doing, it is difficult to understand why we are going in this direction. What will the Minister do for communities such as that in west Cork, who are deeply concerned about the economic and environmental impact of this salmon farm? Their only hope seems to be an expensive judicial review, which we have had to do so many times.
It is important that every aspect of an application be taken into account, and an important part of that is the ecological and environmental impact be fully assessed. The application and assessment process is rigorous in that regard and goes through it in great detail. As I pointed out, the list of consultees that make submissions is extensive, while the legislation, which has to be complied and against which any application has to be benchmarked, is comprehensive as well. All those issues are considered.
Our aquaculture and salmon farming sector is one that delivers significantly for our local economy. It can be done sustainably and we can continue to develop it sustainably too. Obviously, any applications have to be rigorously assessed. They have to meet all the tests and they do. Different people may have different views and that is why the public consultation process is there and why the public consultees are involved in order that they can feed in to that, with a fair and rigorous assessment made of all submissions before a final decision is made. It will be approved only if the application meets the required standards and tests.
Local concern about Bantry Bay is only one case from west Cork. There was a strong campaign to oppose an oyster farm application for Clonakilty Bay, a special area of conservation, while groups in Kinsale are objecting to a planned mussel farm, an application about which there is confusion due to an error that took place regarding initial public notice regarding the aquaculture licence. I would appreciate if the Minister could examine whether the community has been left feeling unclear and disenfranchised. I hear what he said about the system, but these issues are symptomatic of a dysfunctional licence system. In 2017, a review recommended a complete reform of the system.
I accept that the Minister has to read out his prepared contribution about the system in place, but the system is leaving itself open to legal action and intervention from European authorities. This, as well as more than 20 salmon farms currently operating with expired licences and without environmental impact assessments, has not been addressed. I understand what the Minister said and that he has to make these points, but what is he doing to reform the system more broadly? The system is dysfunctional and cannot go on like this. The business in question is operating without licences or environmental impact statements and continuing to get licences at the expense of fishing communities, the environment and tourism in the area.
It is not a matter of me having to say anything. These systems were not dreamed up; they were put together after rigorous engagement and in full compliance with all European and national laws, particularly environmental law and those relating to habitats and ecological requirements. It is a comprehensive and rigorous assessment-----
A report in 2017 recommended complete reform of the licensing system.
A robust system is in place. There have been significant-----
Why then would there be a-----
The report in 2017 was significantly concerned with the delays and backlogs that had developed up to that point. That is being worked through-----
The recommendations-----
-----and licences are being dealt with in a timely fashion. It is important to have a balanced approach to this. While the Deputy outlined the views of those who are opposed to salmon and oyster farming, many people in her constituency and others are very much in favour of it. It can, and does, contribute very positively to the economy and to producing sustainable, healthy food. We have to take a balanced approach, which is why a comprehensive and detailed licence process is important in reaching equitable and reasonable decisions.
Question No. 13 replied to with Written Answers.