Vol. 577 No. 3
369 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the need for spoil from Dunmore East dredging to be brought at least five miles offshore instead of the present inshore dumping in Waterford Harbour Estuary off Hook Head which is damaging lobster breeding grounds and jeopardising the investment by the BIM v-notching project. [30837/03]
Consideration is being given to the carrying out of dredging at Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre, with a view to ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the harbour. In the event that dredging is to be carried out, appropriate arrangements for the disposal of the spoil arising from the operations will be identified and implemented.
Recent surveys indicate that there is no evidence of any impact upon the lobster fishery due to disposal of dredge material from other locations at the Hook Head site.
