Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his Department's attention has been drawn to reports that lice levels at a location (details supplied) in County Galway in February 2004 were greatly in excess of the levels permitted under the licensing agreement and under State protocol. [12642/04]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the action his Department has taken on the follow up to reported levels of lice at a location (details supplied) in County Galway; and the enforcement action which has been taken by his Department in its role as licenser for salmon farms in this particularly sensitive area. [12643/04]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together.

A comprehensive programme of monitoring and control of sea lice levels at marine finfish farms is carried out on behalf of my Department by the Marine Institute. The inspection carried out at the fish farm in question in January of this year found that sea lice numbers were below the level specified in respect of that time of the year. However the subsequent inspection in February detected elevated levels of ovigerous and mobile lice. For this reason, a notice was served on the operators requiring them to treat the fish at the farm against lice.

The first inspection of the farm in March found that, notwithstanding the treatment undertaken, lice levels were still high. Further treatments have, therefore, been undertaken by the operators. As a result, the second inspection in March and the first inspection in April both found progressive and substantial decreases in lice levels.

My Department is monitoring the situation closely and has written to the farm operators emphasising the importance of taking all necessary and appropriate steps on an ongoing basis to control lice levels at the farm. I am advised that the operators are co-operating fully in dealing with the present position.

More generally, I can assure the Deputy that the control of sea lice levels at offshore finfish farms is a priority, and that my Department is committed to ensuring the effective operation of the extensive and rigorous programme that has been developed to deal with the matter.