Vol. 429 No. 3
32 Ms McManus asked the Minister for the Marine if he has considered the appeal made in October 1992, by a wide range of businesses involved in tourism in counties Galway and Mayo for urgent action to restore sea trout stocks in the region; the response, if any, he has made to this appeal; if any new proposals are planned to deal with this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
38 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for the Marine the steps, if any, he has taken to date to implement the recent report of the Sea Trout Stocks Working Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 38 together. As I have previously indicated to the house I have put in place an expanded research, conservation and management programme for 1993 following my consideration of the Sea Trout Working Group Report which was published some weeks ago.
The report concluded that further research needed to be undertaken in 1993 into the causes of the sea trout problem and also recommended a number of conservation and management measures which should be taken, or enhanced, to halt the decline in sea trout numbers and to rebuild stocks.
The 1993 programme is being undertaken in close consultation with all relevant interests including the fisheries boards, fishery owners and fishfarmers. It builds on measures taken in previous years. I would like to take this opportunity to outline again for the House the key components of the programme.
Research is continuing with additional emphasis on stock sampling data and sea lice biology and distribution. The working group will remain in place to evaluate and report on research projects undertaken this year. Conservation bye-laws to protect existing sea trout stocks are being renewed, and will possibly be extended, for 1993. Rehabilitation of sea trout stocks will be developed under a national stock enhancement programme being formulated under the Department's direction.
Management strategies for fish farms are being enhanced and formalised, with particular emphasis on the development of agreed fallowing guidelines, bay management strategies and fish husbandry practices aimed at minimising lice loads and disease incidence. I have established a representative advisory group to examine and recommend on fallowing strategies. The group, which will hold its first meeting next week, includes representation from the central Fisheries Board, the Irish Salmon Growers Association and technical and scientific experts from the Department. The group will also bring on board local and regional expertise from the fishery boards and fish farm operators when it comes to examine specific fallowing site proposals for particular areas. The Department's sea lice monitoring programme for 1993 has been underway since February. The organisation, frequency and co-ordination of this programme is being kept under close review to ensure that monitoring results and related follow up actions are communicated to the relevant interests in the areas concerned.
In my meetings with representatives of the fishery owners and fish farmers I have stressed the importance of a consensus approach to resolving the complex problem of sea trout declines. I have also stressed that the best possible flow of information on progress on the various initiatives will be maintained to assist all our thinking. I am confident that the action now being taken will have the full support and co-operation of all concerned.
Will the Minister acknowledge that we are not talking about a decline in sea trout but a collapse of the sea trout industry? Will he agree that it is unusual for businesses directly affected by this collapse to take such action as they did in October to publicise by way of advertisement the tremendous difficulties they are experiencing? Will he acknowledge the effect this collapse in sea trout numbers is having on what was traditionally a lucrative part of our tourist industry? Does the Minister not feel that the response he has given is really more of the same? The commitment to research and monitoring is welcome but there must be a far greater effort to reverse this collapse and to examine the question of alternatives in regard to salmon fishing as has been carried out in other countries where a land based salmon fishing industry is built up using tanks, which would eliminate the effects sea lice are having on sea trout?
That was a rather long question.
I am aware of the serious difficulties facing the sea trout industry at present. Both the Department and I are conscious of those difficulties and all possible steps are being taken at present to alleviate them. A meeting will take place this week on this matter and I hope that before long we will be able to put forward the necessary proposals to resolve this problem.
Does the Minister intend implementing the recommendations of the Green 2000 Committee that sea based fish farms should be located as far as possible off shore because, although definitive scientific proof has not yet been provided, there seems to be a clear connection between the location of fish cages in the estuaries where the sea trout population has collapsed?
The proposals of the Green 2000 Committee will be implemented. That is a factor to which we have given serious consideration.
I thank the Minister and will congratulate him if he succeeds.
On a point of order——
Is it really necessary? A point of order is unusual at this stage?
I accept that, but the decision of the Attorney General in respect of the Tallaght Two is unusual also. I hope you will permit me, by way of Private Notice Question, to establish the Government's reaction to this matter having regard to the fact that the campaign was sponsored by a distinguished member of the Government, the Minister for Equality and Law Reform.
That matter should be raised at a more appropriate time.
