Written answers

Tuesday, 24 April 2007

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Fisheries Protection

11:00 pm

Photo of John PerryJohn Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 532: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if, with regard to the American Slipper Limpet, which is a damaging species that is well established in Swansea Bay, he has investigated the extent to which this Welsh seed will be able to find its way over to Irish waters in view of the fact that an Irish company has secured an order to fish for mussel seed in Swansea Bay; the measures in place to keep out such invasive species; the measures in place when an Irish vessel secures an order to fish in an area already infected with such a disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14186/07]

Photo of John BrowneJohn Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The slipper limpet, Crepidula fornicata, is naturally distributed from the eastern seaboard of North America, from Canada to the south-eastern US. It is thought that the current population found in Great Britain was introduced in the nineteenth century with oysters from North America and is now distributed along the south, south-west and south-east coasts of England and Wales. While some introductions were thought to occur in Ireland in the past, it would appear that no populations have persisted. The slipper limpet is not native to Ireland and given that, all reasonable efforts have and are being made to prevent its introduction.

The first requests from Irish mussel operators to move mussel seed from UK waters for on-growing on aquaculture sites in Irish waters were received by the Department in the Autumn of 2006. As the Deputy will be aware all such movements of shellfish have to be, in the first instance, approved from a fish health perspective by the Marine Institute and must also be accompanied by a movement permit issued by the Department.

On receiving these first requests the Department was fully apprised by the Marine Institute of the presence of the slipper limpet in UK waters and of the threat these movements potentially posed. Following consultations with the Marine Institute and in conjunction with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of the Environment, a specific set of procedures was drafted and issued to operators. The guiding legislation being the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations, S.I. 94 of 1997.

Notwithstanding the introduction of these procedures, I remain concerned that there are potential shortfalls in the legislative framework at EU and National level and in the implementation of the framework. Ì have asked my officials to undertake an assessment of arrangements with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and relevant State Bodies. The legal framework for effective measures will be strengthened following the adoption of the EU Council Regulation on the use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture, which is due to be adopted shortly.

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