Vol. 422 No. 1
10 Mr. Ryan asked the Minister for the Marine if his Department have any statistics or report on the effects Sellafield has on our fish stocks; whether this matter has been discussed at EC level; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The report of the Nuclear Energy Board entitled Radio-activity Monitoring of the Irish Marine Environment 1988 — 1990, published in July 1991, examined, inter alia, the effects of radioactive discharges from Sellafield on fish stocks in the Irish Sea.
The report was carried out by the Nuclear Energy Board with assistance from the Department of Experimental Physics at University College, Dublin, and the Fisheries Research Centre of the Department of the Marine. Its findings were based on a continuing programme of monitoring of radioactivity in the seas around Ireland. It found from analysis of radioactivity in seawaters, sediments, seaweed, fish and shellfish that the contamination levels in the Irish Sea between 1988 and 1990 had continued to decline, although the rate of decrease was less than that in previous years. There was no evidence to suggest that fish stocks had been affected by radioactive discharges.
I would like to assure the Deputy that the state and size of fish stocks are monitored regularly throughout the year by the Department as part of a continuing programme of assessment of fish resources in the Irish Sea. To date no measurable impact of Sellafield discharges on Irish Sea fish stocks has been found.
This issue has not been discussed at Community level and, in the light of the evidence available, I would not anticipate any developments in that regard.
