asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the vast potential for aquaculture, the research available and the steps being taken to promote and educate the co-operatives, fishermen and farmers on this potential.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Aquaculture Development.
22.
I can assure the Deputy that I am well aware of the potential for aquaculture in this country and I am doing everything possible to develop it.
My Department have been carrying out research on the farming of salmon and trout, oysters, mussels and escallops over a period and the National Board of Science and Technology are at present carrying out site surveys around the coast to identify the most suitable areas for development.
The Department together with the various agencies concerned, inluding An Bord Iascaigh Mhara, have organised and/or taken part in seminars designed to promote aquaculture development. Advice and guidance is also being given by these bodies to potential fish farmers.
First, I should like to thank the Minister for his reply; but this new development in fishing, aquaculture, is a matter in which we have fallen behind. We are about ten years behind at present. Would the Minister not consider himself holding a seminar so as to educate some of the small fishermen and small farmers around the coasts about this very vast and potentially lucrative market and encourage them to develop the small bays of our shores?
I am inclined to agree with the Deputy that the interest is there. It is being expressed to me weekly at least as regards aquaculture and mariculture, that I might take up the matter with the Department and Bord Iascaigh Mhara to see if they would organise it.
If we had a national seminar perhaps we could both attend and give our views.
In view of the Minister's acceptance of the fact that we have fallen somewhat behind in developing aquaculture, is he satisfied that Bord Iascaigh Mhara as at present constituted and staffed are the right agency or vehicle to develop this aspect of our fisheries?
There may be some merit in falling somewhat behind because aquaculture and mariculture are very much at the pioneering stage in many countries. We can learn from the mistakes they have made and see that they are not repeated here. My own experience of Bord Iascaigh Mhara—Deputy White will probably agree as a result of his visit to Abbotstown—is that they are very much on the ball. They know what they are doing.
While agreeing that as far as research is concerned we are on a par with any country, as far as development is concerned does the Minister accept that we are behind? The Norwegians, for example, are at present cultivating 7,000 tons of salmon, eight times more than we are catching around the entire coast. Surely he must accept that we have fallen drastically behind as regards aquaculture and mariculture development.
We are making no progress as a result of these speeches.
Is the Minister satisfied that Bord Iascaigh Mhara at present have adequate personnel to develop this side of the fisheries industry? If not, is he in a position to request them to take on additional personnel in view of the fact that they have not achieved the sort of figure Deputy White has just mentioned?
I have had no request from Bord Iascaigh Mhara for additional personnel in this area. I shall inquire if they are satisfied. Possibly comparisons with Norway regarding fishing might not be the correct comparisons.
I can give Scotland.
Perhaps the Norwegians could make comparisons with certain industries we have and wish that they could emulate them.
But the Minister is not Minister for those industries. He is Minister for Fisheries and that is what we are talking about.
I shall bear in mind what the Deputies have said and I shall make inquiries with Bord Iascaigh Mhara.