Fish Farming

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 October 2017

Wednesday, 18 October 2017

Ceisteanna (169)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

169. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 4 October 2017, if there was a disease outbreak or other incident resulting in extensive fish mortalities at a site (details supplied) previous to the recent jellyfish strike; the date his Department and Inland Fisheries Ireland were notified of the disease outbreak or incident; the number of mortalities from this disease outbreak or incident; and the condition and number of the remaining fish at the time of the jellyfish strike. [44185/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department has been advised by the Marine Institute that the aquaculture site referred to by the Deputy experienced a disease outbreak in advance of the jellyfish strike.

On 21 September my Department received an inquiry from Inland Fisheries Ireland concerning large quantities of dead fish at the site referred to by the Deputy. Inquiries by my Department’s Marine Engineering Division indicated that substantial mortalities had occurred.

The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of mortalities may be commercially sensitive and is also under consideration by my Department as part of a statutory process. Therefore it would not be appropriate for me to comment further pending completion of this process.