Written answers

Tuesday, 24 October 2006

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Environmental Policy

9:00 pm

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 679: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made on the development of a species action plan, a fluvial audit of the Nore, a translocation programme, development of rehabilitation measures and the establishment of a captive breeding programme for margaritifera durrovensis; his plan to adapt approaches developed in the Owenriff for wider implementation in margaritifera catchments mainly in the context of the river basin management plans required under the water framework directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33996/06]

Photo of Dick RocheDick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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A draft species action plan for the freshwater pearl mussel, including the Nore pearl mussel (Margaritifera durrovensis) is being prepared. This work is at an advanced stage and I expect that the draft plan will be released for public consultation early in 2007. Work is also progressing on conservation assessments for freshwater pearl mussels throughout the State, and the outcome of this work will feed into the species action plan.

Plans to conduct a fluvial audit of the River Nore will be considered in the context of the Southeast River Basin Management Plan in the context of catchment-wide water resource management under the Water Framework Directive.

My Department has been advised that the rehabilitation of the River Nore to a standard sufficient to support the survival of even adult Margaritifera durrovensis would be a long term process, and that the extant population of Nore pearl mussels should be removed from their existing locations in the main channel of the river. As a result, work has been concentrated on establishing a captive breeding programme and researching appropriate translocation sites.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department, in collaboration with the National Roads Authority and the Central Fisheries Board, established a captive breeding programme for the Nore pearl mussel at the Central Fisheries Board fish farm at Roscrea during 2005. Although glochidia (the mobile larval stage of the species) were brooded in 2005, they did not survive. Some glochidia have survived in 2006 and it is hoped that some juvenile mussels will develop, to be released into artificial river substratum in 2007.

The draft report of the findings and recommendations from the work carried out by the Owenriff Working Group will be produced in early 2007 and will be considered by the agencies responsible for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Ireland. In addition, a Group, co-ordinated by the Western River Basin District Project, is undertaking a study as part of an assessment of potential impacts from forestry and forestry related activities on the aquatic environment and the development of a programme of measures and standards to mitigate impacts. Forestry is not the only factor that can place pressures on Margaritifera, however, measures to address forestry-related pressures are furthest advanced.

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