John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 556: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the names of persons who have applied for licences to fish for oysters in Ballylongford Bay, County Kerry. [24555/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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An application has been received from the Ballylongford shellfish producers' group for an aquaculture licence in respect of the cultivation of oysters at the location in question and is being examined by the Department.

John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 557: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of persons who have been sanctioned for poor lice control according to the latest available figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24606/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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A national monitoring and control programme for sea lice at marine fin-fish farms is operated on behalf of this Department by the Marine Institute, in accordance with the protocol for sea lice monitoring and control that was published by this Department in 2000. The programme involves the carrying out of 14 inspections a year at each site containing fish. One inspection is carried out in the period December to January, two inspections per month are undertaken in the period from March to May, and one inspection per month is carried out during the rest of the year. The key purpose of these inspections is to establish whether the lice levels at a site are in excess of the very strict trigger levels that are applied in this country. If the applicable trigger level is exceeded, the operator of the site is required to apply an appropriate treatment with a view to effecting a reduction in the lice levels.

If there were a failure on the part of a farm operator to comply with relevant requirements of the protocol, or to co-operate in taking the action necessary to reduce lice levels, the question of taking action against the operator would fall to be considered. Possible forms of action mentioned in the protocol include conditional fish movement orders and accelerated harvests. A prosecution under the Fisheries Acts could also be taken where adherence to the protocol is a condition of the aquaculture licence for a fish farm and there is a failure to act as required. The primary focus is, however, on ensuring the effective operation of the protocol arrangements for lice monitoring and control and on bringing about any necessary enhancement or reinforcement of those systems and processes.

I have recently decided to set up a review group, comprising representatives of the Department and other relevant public bodies, to examine the operation of the monitoring and control system and to report back to me with recommendations for possible improvements.