State bodies disagree on salmon farm

CLARE Labour Party TD Michael McNamara has called on Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) to withdraw its application for a large-scale salmon farm off the North Clare coast because of “a significant difference of opinion” between BIM and Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), both State bodies.

 

The final decision on the future of the 456-hectare organic fish farm falls to the Minister for Agriculture.
The proposed site is just over one mile from Inis Oírr and about four miles from the Clare coast and would accommodate 15,000 tonnes of salmon each year.

Deputy Michael McNamara is now calling on BIM to withdraw its application for an aquaculture licence for the salmon farm. He said, “A significant difference of opinion has emerged between BIM and IFI, whose statutory function is the protection, management and conservation of the island’s fisheries resource.”

“I believe Inland Fisheries Ireland have raised a number of serious issues that should be addressed before the application is proceeded with. These include job displacement, the potential impact of sea lice on wild salmon and the potential impact of a large-scale escape of farmed salmon on the local wild population,” he said.

Deputy McNamara said the board of IFI have serious concerns that jobs created by the current proposal will be more than offset by the associated loss of jobs in recreational, angling and tourism sectors if this development proceeds without adequate environmental protections in place.

“IFI is also concerned that the existing Environmental Impact Statement does not deal adequately with the potential impact of sea lice on salmon smolts and  calls for a survey to identify the migration route of salmon smolts though Galway Bay,” according to the Clare deputy.

Prior to writing to BIM, Deputy McNamara sought the views of constituents at a meeting in Doolin and discussed the matter with fellow Oireachtas members representing constituencies around Galway Bay.

“I fear the current application may lead to a long and expensive legal battle in the courts, both domestically and in Europe, at enormous cost to the State, where the State will be represented on both sides of the argument. It is not desirable that various State agencies are drawn into conflict with each other,” he added.

Deputy McNamara said the purpose of the Doolin meeting was to hear and understand the views of representatives of the fishing industry on BIM’s proposal for large-scale salmon farms in the West of Ireland.

“I also sought input on how the Government could help to sustain and develop the existing fishing industry. Arguments against the BIM plan for salmon fish farms off the West Coast of Ireland were strongly expressed. In particular, there were references to the potential damage to tourism that could be done by the proposed 1,100 acre site between Doolin and Inis Oírr with another site near Inverin, if they were given a licence for salmon farming,” he said.

“Speakers said the cages would be unsightly from Doolin and the revenue yielded by tourism to the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara and the Burren could be put in jeopardy. Smaller-scale operations from local communities were considered more desirable and the case was made for future sustainable fishing in coastal communities,” he stated.

An information meeting on the fish farm will be held this Friday night in Ballyvaughan Community Centre at 8pm.

Local fisherman, Patrick Mullins explained, “We are holding this meeting because a lot of people don’t know anything about this proposed farm and don’t know what is going on. There are genuine concerns, particularly from inshore fishermen, about the dangers around this.

“Up to now, the inshore fishermen have a good relationship with BIM and the Marine Institute. We still do but this is being pushed upon us and we were told this is going in here and we have had very little say in it. This is not something you can take lightly. I am not against development but there are questions to be asked.”