Vol. 498 No. 1
101 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if the present operator of the parr and smolt farm on Lough Allen has indemnified the State against an outbreak of disease in the natural stock caused by an outbreak of disease on the fish farm. [26388/98]
102 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if the present operator of the parr and smolt farm on Lough Allen is named on the licence; and, if so, when the licence was granted. [26389/98]
103 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the mechanisms, if any, in place to ensure the licence holder of the parr and smolt farm on Lough Allen complies with the terms and conditions of the licence; and if this licence is available for public inspection. [26390/98]
104 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the number of parr and smolt raised on the fish farm on Lough Allen for each of the years from 1994 to date; and the number of checks carried out by his Department for each of the years from 1994 to date. [26391/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 to 104, inclusive, together.
The fish farm at Lough Allen is operated by Gaelic Seafoods (Ireland) Ltd., which is the holder of a licence granted on 10 August 1995. Regular inspections of both freshwater (land based) sites and marine finfish farms are carried out by my Department's engineering division under the Department's fish farm inspection programme to ensure compliance with all licence conditions. A recent inspection of the Lough Allen farm showed satisfactory compliance with all of the licence conditions. The fish health division of the Marine Institute also carry out regular inspections of land based fish farms. A recent such inspection showed the fish to be healthy. The licence is available for public inspection on request at my Department's headquarters in Leeson Lane. Gaelic Seafoods is permitted to have in possession at any time 1 million salmon smolts having a biomass not exceeding 50 tonnes.
As regards production levels, in addition to the licence condition which stipulates maximum permitted production levels-fish stocks, licensees are required to furnish a production plan for their proposed inputs of fish to the farm. In the interests of transparency, licensees are also required to seek permits from my Department for the transfer of smolts to production sites. This provides a further means of monitoring adherence on the part of licensed operators to the stipulated production levels.
