Fish Farming

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 January 2016

Wednesday, 27 January 2016

Ceisteanna (96)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

96. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 479, 489 and 490 of 9 June 2015 regarding information on salmon farms operating outside their licensed areas and operating without the required warning lights or radar reflectors by site and by operators and given the level of non-compliance after warnings, if he will include the last element of the parliamentary questions; and the actions he plans to take to ensure his authorised officers are appropriately supported and the licensing conditions are met. [3457/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The primary responsibility for ensuring that aquaculture licence conditions are fully adhered to rests, in the first instance, with each licence holder. Where instances of non-compliance with the terms and conditions of an aquaculture licence are identified by my Department the matter is referred to the licence holder for corrective action. The efficient and effective regulation of aquaculture is a key operational priority for my Department and every effort is made to address pro-actively instances of non-compliance having regard to the legislative, scientific and technical complexities that are sometimes involved.