Vol. 544 No. 4
68 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the number of fish escape incidents from maritime and riverine fish farms which have been reported to his Department in 2000 and 2001; the action his Department took in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29013/01]
Three fish escapes have been reported to my Department by fish farms this year to date. The corresponding figure for 2000 was seven escapes, of which two incidents related to marine sites. I have arranged for a table to be forwarded to the Deputy.
Aquaculture licences are subject to a variety of conditions designed to ensure best practice and the taking of all necessary precautionary-remedial action. It is a licence condition that fish escapes must be reported immediately to the Department and to the Regional Fisheries Boards. The cause of the escape must also be established by the fish farm and necessary remedial action taken to address this. Stock losses must also be quantified. It is usually the case that the Regional Fisheries Board, in consultation with the Marine Institute, will take steps to recapture escaped stock.
To ensure full confidence in the systems in place, I have requested my Department to undertake a comprehensive review of escape prevention strategies, reporting and alert systems and remedial strategies. Where overhaul is needed, action will be taken, as a matter of priority.
It is in the aquaculture industry's commercial interest to ensure that escapes are minimised to the greatest extent possible in line with the best international practice and standards. I am very satisfied that, with technical advancement and improved cage technology, incidents of fish escapes have reduced very significantly in recent years. However, there is no room for complacency and the enhancement of prevention and remedial strategies is a key priority of all concerned.
The Minister said there were five escapes from river fish farming operations in the year 2000. Can he tell the House if the recapture policy worked in those cases? Did the number of fish recaptured equate with the recorded stock losses? If not, what further action can be taken in this regard?
Will the Minister indicate whether any of the incidents in the years 2000 or 2001 would be regarded as a large-scale incident? Will he tell the House what reality exists in trying to ensure recapture of lost stock in light of a marine event?
On the Deputy's first point regarding recapture, that system has not been successful. I wondered whether the inclusion of that information in reply to the Deputy's question was realistic. I decided to throw it out for debate, if nothing else.
For bait, or debate?
Debate. The Fisheries Board and the Marine Institute are discussing this issue. We are all aware of how difficult it is to recapture farm fish that escape into the wild.
It is a bit like looking for a needle in a hay-stack.
Let us wait and see what the Marine Institute and Fisheries Boards come up with. I understand none of the escapes were substantial. It is our understanding that a particular escape incident referred to here on previous occasions did not ever happened. It is in all our interests, particularly the farmer's, that there be no escape. Fish farms are similar to animal farms except one would have a better chance recapturing a beast than a fish.
There has been substantial improvement in the manufacture of cages since the salmon industry took off. One of the escape incidents was caused by the malfunctioning of a hydraulic lift. The people involved lost a great deal of money. That will not go down too well with them or their bank managers. Another incident arose as a result of a seal attacking a cage. Fish farmers on the North American coast put a much stronger and bigger net on the outside of their cages to prevent seals from getting near them. I witnessed that when I visited North America.
The Minister's time has concluded.
Will the Minister confirm if the three incidents reported in 2001 took place in rivers and if they involved salmon, trout or any other species?
Could the Minister summarise briefly the causes of the escapes reported to the fisheries boards in 2000 and 2001?
I might not have all the information here. I may have mentioned only two incidents in my earlier reply, I am not sure. One escape resulted from the collapse of a hydraulic lift while removing the fish from a cage and the second resulted from an attack by a seal on the fish in the cage. The seal made a substantial hole in the cage through which the fish escaped without any difficulty. I am sorry Deputy Dukes, could you repeat your question?
Did the three incidents reported in 2001 take place in rivers?
No. One incident might have taken place in Inver, county Donegal.
Might have happened there or did happen there?
I am certain it happened in the sea at Inver.
Were salmon or trout involved?
It was salmon in the case of the last incident I mentioned.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
