I am aware of the concern regarding the Galway Bay oyster fishery referred to by the Deputy. As previously explained to the House, an outbreak of bonamia was confirmed in a specific site in Galway Bay last year. The outbreak was limited to that specific site and there is no evidence that it has spread.
Decisive action was immediately taken to deal with that outbreak. The experience with bonamia, both in Ireland and abroad, is that, while it is difficult to eradicate from a specific site, it can be contained to such a site through a range of containment measures including destocking, controls on movement, etc.
Following the outbreak of bonamia in Galway Bay last year, the operator was instructed to destock the infected site. I am satisfied, on the basis of surveys carried out by my Department's scientific staff and An Bord Iascaigh Mhara, that this has been done.
An extensive survey of the immediate area and Galway Bay in general was carried out by my Department after the outbreak.This indicated that the outbreak was confined to the site of the initial outbreak, and had not spread. A further survey, utilising recently recruited additional staff, is about to be undertaken by the fisheries research centre.
If these measures are effective, there is no reason to expect any serious damage to the general Galway Bay fishery. As also pointed out previously, this particular disease poses no threat to human consumption, and the marketing of oysters from this general area need not be disrupted.
