John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when a comprehensible survey to establish the parameters of the wild oyster fishery in Lough Swilly will be carried out; if this will be done in conjunction with interested parties such as aquaculture interests, licensed wild oyster dredgers and representatives from the Inch fishing community and traditional hand-pickers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5754/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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A comprehensive survey of the wild oyster beds in Lough Swilly was carried out in 2001 by personnel from Bord Iascaigh Mhara in conjunction with staff from the aquaculture initiative — a cross-Border body funded under the peace programme. The survey was conducted in conjunction with the Lough Swilly Wild Oyster Development Association, LSWODA, and other wild fisheries interests and its findings were widely disseminated at that time. Since then a number of smaller-scale surveys of specific areas of Lough Swilly have been carried out. Most recently, a survey was conducted adjacent to the Ballygreen area, the results of which, I understand, will be reported to the Department before the end of February. At the request of the LSWODA, a further local survey of the Ryebridge area is to be carried out in the next six months by BIM and aquaculture initiative staff as before.

I am advised that as a result of the work carried out in recent years, the location and extent of the Lough Swilly wild oyster beds are quite well understood. In these circumstances, there are no proposals at present for a further comprehensive survey of the oyster beds.