asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the entire water supply for Galway city and surrounds is taken from Lough Corrib; that at present there are two land based hatcheries on the Corrib system and one cage based system; and that a circular is in preparation which will be distributed to the people of Galway making them aware of the danger of their drinking water.
Written Answers. - Freshwater Aquaculture Control.
33.
Freshwater aquaculture is very tightly controlled by my Department under the Fisheries Acts and by local authorities under the Planning Acts. My Department's policy is to encourage the production of the salmon smolts required by the expanding aquaculture industry from purpose built land based units whose design has been approved by my Department. These units maximise the control available in relation to the key factors of effluent dilution, settlement of solids and escape. No unit would be permitted, either by my Department or by a planning authority which would endanger drinking water supplies.
In relation to cage systems on lakes, these are now being phased out. The one such unit authorised for the Corrib-Mask system is at Lettercraffoe — the subject of another parliamentary question today — and will be closed, at the latest, by September 1989. It is being monitored very closely at present and will be terminated earlier if environmental factors so indicate. I do not expect this to arise, however.
I would take this opportunity, in addition, to remind Deputies of my recent commitment given in Cavan earlier this month to establish a separate review whereby the concerns expressed with existing developments in aquaculture and processes for regulating aquaculture can be fully and professionally examined, with independent advice if necessary and with the involvement of fishing and aquaculture interests.