Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 4 Mar 2003

Vol. 562 No. 4

Written Answers - Aquaculture Licences.

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

159 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on the issuing of aquaculture licences for Lough Swilly; if he intends to implement an integrated coastal zone management plan for Lough Swilly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6250/03]

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. D. Ahern)

Applications for aquaculture licences are considered in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997. The process incorporates an opportunity for interested persons to examine the documentation relating to an application and to make submissions on the proposal. It is open to any person to appeal to the aquaculture licences appeals board, an independent statutory body, against the decision on an application. These procedures ensure that the views of all interested parties on aquaculture proposals, including any such proposals in Lough Swilly, are considered in the decision-making process.

The total area licensed in Lough Swilly for intensive aquaculture such as salmon farming, rope culture of mussels or the growing of oysters in bags on trestles amounts to just more than 1% of the surface area of the lake. In addition, approximately 7.5% of the area of the lake is licensed for the bottom culture of mussels, a traditional and unobtrusive method of cultivating shellfish that does not require any equipment in or on the water and therefore has no visual impact. Accordingly, more than 91% of the area of the lake is free of aquaculture and that position is unlikely to change significantly in the foreseeable future. The remaining applications on hand amount to a few hundred hectares in total and are being considered on their merits.

As for the issue of integrated coastal zone management, there is widespread recognition of the need for an integrated approach to the management of coastal areas and resources. My Department has general responsibility, in conjunction with other relevant Departments, for the development of a strategy for integrated management of the coastal zone. A key objective of this strategy is the putting in place of new models addressing interactions between relevant sectors, agencies and legal frameworks and delivering a more strategic and co-ordinated approach to the management of coastal areas.

The development of the strategy for integrated coastal zone management will be taken forward in co-operation with the other public bodies concerned, will be informed by national and international experience and research to date, and will take account of the EU recommendation on integrated coastal zone management published last year.