Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 982: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the preventative measures that have been taken in both Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly to ensure that infected oysters are not released into the loughs and to ensure that trawlers, that may be carrying infected oysters, are not alternating between the two loughs; and the monitoring mechanism in place within his Department to ensure that all oyster seed are free from the bonamiosis disease. [1661/07]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The situation currently in relation to Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle is that they are both formally designated as Restricted Areas for the movement of molluscan shellfish following the confirmation of the presence of Bonamia ostreae in both Loughs. All requests for movement licences for molluscan shellfish considered susceptible to Bonamia ostreae for re-immersion outside the Loughs in bonamia free areas are refused by the Department. All such requests for movement are also subject to scrutiny by the Fish Health Unit of the Marine Institute. However, the harvesting of molluscan shellfish from the Loughs for human consumption is not affected.

All registered operators within both Loughs were circulated with copies of Guidelines for the Management of Shellfish Operations within the Loughs which outline best practises to prevent the transmission and spread of the parasite Bonamia ostreae and to prevent the transmission and spread of the parasite from the Loughs to other bonamia free areas. Incorporated within the Guidelines is the requirement that all fishing boats operating in both Loughs must be cleared of all shellfish and decks, holds, dredges and equipment must be cleaned with freshwater prior to their leaving the Loughs, for a bonamia free zone.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 983: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the person who issued the order for the implementation of the official movement restrictions after the recent outbreak of bonamia ostreae in Lough Swilly; the way this order was communicated to the relevant parties; the measures taken to ensure that this recent outbreak is confined to the areas within Lough Swilly in which it has been discovered; his Department's advice on oyster sales from bays affected by the outbreak of bonamia ostreae; the options available for Lough Swilly in view of the fact that mortalities due to bonamiasis can be reduced using suspension culture and lower stocking densities; if he will comprehensively review the oyster situation in Lough Swilly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1669/07]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Department received notification from its scientific advisors, the Marine Institute, on October 27 th 2006, of a possible positive test for Bonamia ostreae in Lough Swilly. Bonamia osteae is a disease which affects oysters, but consumption of oysters affected by the disease has no human health impacts. Following the Marine Institute notification, as a precautionary measure, it was decided that any applications made to move native oysters and other shellfish susceptible to Bonamia ostreae originating in Lough Swilly for on-growing in areas free of the disease would be refused.

When results of tests on samples forwarded to the Community Reference Laboratory, La Tremblade, France, confirmed the initial suspicion on 15 November 2006, this ban on movements of susceptible species from L. Swilly to Bonamia free areas was made permanent. Lough Swilly was formally designated as a Non-Approved Zone for the parasite B.ostreae.

On December 3rd 2006 the Department forwarded, by post, to operators in the Lough, Guidelines for the Management of Shellfish Operations in Lough Swilly. The objectives of these measures were to restrict the transmission and spread of the parasite Bonamia ostreae within the native oyster stocks in Lough Swilly and to prevent the transmission and spread of the parasite from native oyster stocks in Lough Swilly to other bonamia free areas. Incorporated within the Guidelines is the requirement that all fishing boats operating in Lough Swilly must be cleared of all shellfish and decks, holds, dredges and equipment must be cleaned with freshwater prior to their leaving the Lough, for a Bonamia free zone. However, the Guidelines do not affect the harvesting of molluscan shellfish from Lough Swilly for human consumption.

Statutory Instrument No. 614 which added Lough Swilly to the Schedule 11 of the European Communities (Aquaculture Animals and Fish) (Placing on the Market and Control of Certain Diseases) Regulations 1966, S.I. 253 of 1996, was signed into law by Minister Dempsey on 11 December 2006.

While the presence of the parasite Bonamia ostreae has been confirmed within Lough Swilly, to date, no reports of actual mortalities in the oyster stock due to the parasite have been reported to the Department or to our scientific advisors. However, scientific advice suggests that should attempts be made to increase stocking rates from present levels it could contribute to increasing the risk of mortalities occurring however given that the native oyster beds in Lough Swilly are wild beds stocking densities are not likely to change appreciably.