Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources along with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland are the co-sponsoring Departments for the Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission. The Loughs Agency, as set out in the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999 and the Foyle Fisheries Act 1952, as amended by the Foyle and Carlingford Fisheries Act 2007, and corresponding Northern Ireland legislation is responsible for the promotion of the development of Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough for commercial and recreational purposes in respect of marine, fishery and aquaculture matters; for the management, conservation, protection, improvement and development of the inland fisheries of the Foyle and Carlingford areas; and for the development and licensing of aquaculture and the development of marine tourism.

The agency was set up in 1999 and took over the functions of the Foyle Fisheries Commission established in 1952 to provide only for the management and conservation of the fisheries in the Lough Foyle area. The Act of 1952 was amended in 2007 through the Foyle and Carlingford Fisheries Act and its Northern Ireland equivalent. This, in addition to the functions of the Foyle Fisheries Commission, empowered the Loughs Agency to conserve, protect, develop and manage shellfisheries and aquaculture in the loughs areas. This enabled, for the first time, the introduction of an agreed regulatory aquaculture and shellfisheries regime in Lough Foyle. It also extended the agency's fisheries conservation and protection role to Carlingford Lough.

The agency is in the process of introducing secondary legislation in relation to aquaculture which will facilitate the introduction of a structured management system for aquaculture in the loughs areas. The relevant secondary legislation in relation to aquaculture, when introduced, will enable the agency to manage the sector. It is necessary for the agency, inter alia, to secure a long-term licence of the cross-Border foreshore areas under its responsibility in Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough. This will be done by way of a formal foreshore management agreement between the Loughs Agency, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Crown Estates Commission, which are the responsible bodies for the management of foreshore in both jurisdictions.

My understanding is that work is proceeding on the preparation of an appropriate management agreement and that the approach being adopted, when completed, will be entirely adequate to allow the Loughs Agency to undertake the regulation of aquaculture in Lough Foyle. The Loughs Agency's objective is to achieve sustainable development for the social, economic and environmental benefit of the communities who influence, enjoy and depend on the resource. There are no plans at present to expand the functions of the Loughs Agency, although the function and operations of all North-South bodies are under consideration by the North-South Ministerial Council in the context of the review of the St. Andrews Agreement. Any changes to the existing arrangements would require the specific endorsement of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Oireachtas. I would consider that the agency should be afforded the full opportunity to come to terms with its aquaculture and sea fisheries brief before taking on any additional functions.