Category: News

Irish Examiner Editorial -?????December 17, 2012

With questions hanging over the future of the wild Atlantic salmon, a big money-spinner for Irish tourism, few issues provoke more heated controversy than the operation of fish farms off Ireland??????s coasts.

The impassioned nature of debate around this contentious topic was seen at the weekend when 200 people from all parts of the country gathered in the rain outside Marine Minister Simon Coveney??????s constituency office in Carrigaline, Co Cork. Their protest was against a Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) proposal to locate giant salmon farms off the west coast.

Jobs, money, and environmental concerns already dominate debate on both sides of this argument. For BIM, the aim is to create 500 jobs at three super-sized deep-sea salmon farms, the first at Inis O?????rr in the Aran Islands, each with an annual harvest capacity of 15,000 tonnes. Doubtless, the opening of the China market to salmon exports from Europe is an influential factor.

For the opponents of this development ?????? anglers, fishing organisations, stakeholders, hoteliers, restaurateurs, and islanders ?????? the fear is that if such projects go ahead they will make thousands of existing workers redundant in tourism, angling, and the shellfish industry.

Meanwhile, amid the ongoing battle of words, the survival of wild salmon is in question. Recently thought to have been “saved” from virtual extinction by the removal of drift nets, the Irish salmon is now believed to be at risk from hazards that include climate change, river and lake pollution, as well as alleged poaching and illegal drift netting off the Donegal coast.

Scientific research suggests that valuable salmon stocks off the west of Ireland are in danger of being decimated by a predicted explosion of sea lice, lethal parasites which invariably multiply around fish farms and are claimed to kill large numbers of free-ranging salmon in European waters every year.

According to BIM, the State agency responsible for developing the seafood industry, its handling of this project marks a “new departure” in planning terms. It will act as the licence applicant for all three farms, with the licences being held in trust for the State and commercial developers operating the business under a franchise agreement.

To give Mr Coveney credit, he signalled in advance that he would not be present to receive a petition from the protesters picketing his constituency office. However, he risks compromising his ministerial position as he is widely perceived as supporting the BIM project. Arguably, he could be accused of conflicting with the public interest if his department grants BIM the licence. With such a controversial decision in the balance, the Government will be in the firing line if jobs are put at risk in a region so heavily reliant on tourism.

It would be a travesty if objections to the BIM proposal were dismissed out of hand by the administration because of ministerial support for the venture. To bring transparency and objectivity to this heated dispute, there should be no question of matters being decided behind closed doors. The conflicting interests make it imperative that BIM??????s plans for three giant salmon farms be scrutinised in the public gaze.

By Eddie Cassidy – Irish Examiner -?????Monday, December 17, 2012

Salmon and sea trout anglers along with inshore fishermen insist a planned explosion of giant fish farms on the west coast will lead to a senseless destruction of the Irish environment and damage key industries.

It has been claimed that thousands of existing jobs in tourism, angling, and shellfish industries will be wiped out by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) proposals to create mega salmon farms off Inis O?????rr in the Aran Islands.

More than 200 people from all over Ireland protes-ted on Saturday outside Marine Minister Simon Coveney??????s constituency office in Carrigaline, Co Cork. Mr Coveney had signalled in advance that he would not be present to receive a petition.

??????Our mission,?????? said Glenda Powell from Cork??????s Blackwater Lodge and salmon fishery, ??????is to strive to safeguard our wild salmon and sea trout, their marine habitat, and inland waterways.

??????If the massive salmon farms are granted, it will probably lead to the extinction of many native species on all of our rivers and lakes. Why can the Government not see the need to protect what we already have ?????? our natural, native fish???????

Environmental scientist Roderick O??????Sullivan said BIM plans, already backed by Mr Coveney, were: ??????Celtic Tiger stuff all over again ?????? these huge untried complexes are based on Alice in Wonderland ambition, selfish greed, and a refusal to listen to common sense.??????

The Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers (Fissta) put into the letterbox of Mr Coveney??????s closed office an objection to the proposed deep-sea salmon farm in Galway Bay.

Fissta is being backed in its objection by organisations such as No Salmon Farms at Sea, Salmon Watch Ireland, An Taisce, Coastwatch, Friends of the Irish Environment, Irish Seal Sanctuary, Save Bantry Bay, and Save Galway Bay.

Alec O??????Donovan of Save Bantry Bay said a World Wildlife Federation report on salmon farming had ??????been buried?????? out of embarrassment by the Government due to the environmental risks.

The WWF report claimed excessive use of chemicals such as antibiotics, anti-foulants, and pesticides could have ??????unintended consequences for marine organisms and human health while viruses and parasites that transfer between farmed and wild species, as well as among farmed species, present a risk to wild populations or other farms??????.

Brian Curran from Save Galway Bay said anglers have been the watchdogs of the environment and object to the industrialisation of deep water bays.

London-based Dr O??????Sullivan said the Department of Marine ??????refuses to listen to any voice but its own??????.

Taxpayers?????? money, he said, would support a reckless explosion in salmon farming.

??????We voice our objections to the building of giant salmon farms killing off more of our wild salmon and sea trout; we also object to the huge volumes of filth and toxic wastes from these farms; we object to the huge volume of insecticides, fungicides, and dangerous chemicals flushed into our shallow bays and estuaries, and, furthermore, we object to the gross exaggeration of 500 jobs to be created.??????

He said salmon farming was highly mechanised, required fewer and fewer workers, and ??????any new menial jobs created will be cancelled out by local job losses in key industries such as angling and tourism??????.

He said it was bizarre that Mr Coveney, who has responsibility for BIM, was asking the state agency to apply to his office for a licence to build the farms.