Fisheries Protection.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2008

Wednesday, 17 December 2008

Ceisteanna (523, 524)

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

562 Deputy Tony Gregory asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his attention has been drawn to the results of the data obtained by the sustainable management of interactions between aquaculture and wild salmonid fish funded by the EU and partnered between Ireland, Scotland, and Norway and the data obtained by the national fish stock assessment programme of the Central Fisheries Board in 2007 which demonstrated the increased mortalities in wild salmon as a result of marine salmon farms and their sea lice infestations; and the measures he plans to take to protect the Irish wild salmon as the competent authority under the Habitats Directive which list the salmon for protection. [46539/08]

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

571 Deputy Tony Gregory asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will report on the recommendations of the high level sea lice monitoring and control working group which was established by the then Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in 2005 and comprised representatives of the Department, the Fisheries Boards, Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara to examine and review the systems and processes for controlling sea lice levels at marine finfish farms. [46546/08]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Deputy Brendan Smith)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 562 and 571 together.

Since the transfer of fisheries functions to my Department, work has continued on this issue and in May of this year my Department published a Strategy for Improved Pest Control on Irish Salmon Farms. A National Implementation Group with representatives from my Department, BIM, Marine Institute and industry representatives has been formed and will the drive the implementation of the strategy. The Implementation Group has commenced its work and is expected to present its report to me by end of May, 2009.