Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

I understand what was said on Committee Stage. It is the same as the argument regarding mussels. We need legislation because there is no ownership and there are no licences. That is the reason this Bill is necessary. Amendment No. 8 provides that the commission shall not license a person to engage in aquaculture within the limits of an oyster fishery that is the property of a private person. That is what the legislation is about; there is no ownership of either mussel or oyster fisheries in the Foyle area. However, there is a traditional element of oyster fishing and people have invested in the oyster fishery in the same way as there has been investment in the mussel fishery.

I hope the mapping that will be done by each sector and by the Department in the context of examining special areas of conservation and other environmental matters will take account of all the different interests. I do not know enough about the science to know whether it will form a neat package that will discriminate one area from another. The Minister spoke on Committee Stage about sanitary areas between mussels and oysters. I hope that can be worked out and will not cause major arguments. I am told by most of the fishermen I have talked to that there is room in the Foyle for everyone. In that context, I hope those who have invested in oyster and mussel fisheries will be given adequate recognition so they can become the owners of licences and become the real owners and stakeholders. The Department, through the Loughs Agency, should recognise the investment they have made.

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