Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2022
935. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason that he and his Department have not fully implemented the recommendations from the report by the independent aquaculture licensing review group published in 2017; when these recommendations are intended to be fully acted upon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32565/22]
View answerThe Independent Aquaculture Licensing Review Group carried out a detailed examination of the existing aquaculture licensing process, undertook comprehensive stakeholder consultation and examined comparative national and international consent systems to determine best practice for managing a complex licensing process in a transparent, environmentally appropriate and legally robust manner.
The Review Group identified the backlog in aquaculture licence applications that existed at that time as the key priority to be addressed. Since then the backlog in relation to shellfish aquaculture licence applications has been effectively eliminated as an issue affecting the industry and priority work is ongoing to address outstanding renewal applications in finfish aquaculture.
In addition, the Department has secured funding from the European Maritime Fisheries Fund to undertake the development of GIS modelling, to include, the spatial mapping of aquaculture sites. This key technical infrastructure is required to underpin the development of an on-line aquaculture licensing facility, as recommended by the Review Group.
The Department’s AQUAMIS (Aquaculture Management Information System) is currently being developed. Phase 1 of the project will see the production of a Public Aquaculture Licence Viewer and this will be available by the end of quarter 2, 2022. The viewer will allow all stakeholders involved in the licensing process as well as the general public to view licenced aquaculture sites.
The further implementation of the Licensing Review Group Report forms an important part of the current Programme for Government and I have requested that an Implementation Programme be prepared in respect of the remaining recommendations of the Report with a view to their implementation, both as they apply directly to the Department and to the Agencies of the Department, and work on this is currently underway. Once prepared, I will consider the proposed Implementation Programme in due course, having regard to the legislative, environmental, technical and public interest issues that arise.
