My Department considers applications for aquaculture licences in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997, the Foreshore Act 1933 (as amended) and applicable national and EU legislation. The licensing process involves consultation with a wide range of scientific and technical advisers as well as various Statutory Consultees.
Once an application has been accepted and passed through the initial assessment process the legislation provides for a period of public consultation. This is commenced by the applicant placing a notice in a locally circulating newspaper and the application documentation is also made available for viewing on the Departments website and a local Garda Station at this time. The newspaper notice gives the relevant information for the application and at this time any interested party may make a submission on the application as set out in the notice.
The location details given on the public notice refer to the general location by stating the Bay in which the application site is situated. The full information on the specific location is available in the application documentation which includes the specific site co-ordinates and site location map for the site and a map showing the access point that will be used if the site is licensed.
Details of all licensed sites are publicly available on the Departments' section of the www.gov.ie website and on the Aquaculture Information Management System (AQUAMIS).
