Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 244: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the position regarding the licence for a salmon farm (details supplied) in County Kerry and if the licence has been revoked or is active; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a company has apparently served notice that it intends to apply for permission to increase the output of the farm from 500 to 2,000 tons and is currently restocking the farm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27314/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The aquaculture licence referred to by the Deputy has not been revoked. My Department received a request from the aquaculture operator to increase the number of smolts stocked on the site from 400,000 to 800,000. This request was refused on the basis that amending the licence conditions to take account of such a major change of use would undermine the licensing regime and therefore would not be in the public interest. Such a major increase in stocking capacity would have to be the subject of a new application, accompanied by the necessary Environmental Impact Statement. This information was conveyed to the aquaculture operator on 28th April 2010.