Vol. 444 No. 6
133 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Marine if a meeting has taken place regarding the use of inshore fishing grounds at Passage East, County Waterford, including the local fishermen who were not included in any previous meeting and who would be seriously affected; and if not, if such a meeting will now be convened.
A number of applications for licences to cultivate shellfish at Woodstown Strand, near Passage East are currently being assessed by the Department from all relevant technical and scientific perspectives.
Wide ranging public consultations are also in progress to ensure that the views of all relevant bodies and interests are taken into account in the decision making process.
Officials of the Department and BIM have already met some of the applicants in question with a view to resolving difficulties which had arisen among competing interests in the area. If local fishermen seek to have a meeting to make their views known on the licensing of the Woodstown Strand area, the Department will be happy to facilitate them.
