John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 57: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his plans to develop the aquaculture industry here; and if he will remove some of the obstacles that have led to a serious backlog of aquaculture licences. [12442/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am strongly committed to the further development of the Aquaculture Sector which I believe has great potential in terms of its contribution to the economy and to coastal and rural development.

My plans for the aquaculture industry are set out in Food Harvest 2020 – A vision for Irish Agri-food and fisheries, The Rising Tide – A Review of the Bottom Grown Mussel Sector in Ireland and in the Irish Seafood National Programme 2007-2013.

The Irish Seafood National Programme sets out a strategy for the development of the aquaculture sector. That strategy sets out the following elements:

Build a critical mass in the production of key species with higher added value potential;

Create additional income and employment in peripheral coastal regions by promoting the production of those species with the potential for added value;

Support innovation and other structural initiatives to improve the efficiency-competitiveness, safety, product quality-fish health and welfare and environmental impact of aquaculture;

Promote the diversification of the aquaculture industry by encouraging the commercial development of new species, and

Promote the introduction of new technology to open up offshore locations for aquaculture and to improve infrastructural support for the sector.

The Commercial Aquaculture Development Scheme is the largest element of the Aquaculture Industry Development Measure of the Irish Seafood National Programme. That scheme has a budget of €5 million in 2011. The scheme is designed to promote the commercial development of aquaculture on a basis which is financially, technically and environmentally sustainable. Its main focus is on the construction, extension, equipping, modernisation and expansion of aquaculture enterprises, development of handling facilities for quality improvement and efficiency and investment in measures of a collective nature designed to improve sustainability, in particular quality assurance and environmental impact, efficiency, safety and competitiveness in the aquaculture industry. Under the Programme grant aid will not be made available to marine salmon aquaculture sites until the sea-lice issue has been satisfactorily resolved.

One call for proposals under this scheme was conducted in 2010 and already another has been conducted in 2011. Investment proposals that have been successful in the 2011 call will be announced shortly.

In relation to the current backlog in the processing of aquaculture licences, the majority of areas for which the licences are sought are designated as Special Areas of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive and/or Special Protection Areas under the EU Birds Directive (so-called Natura 2000 sites). In accordance with these EU Directives, as clarified by a judgment against Ireland of the European Court of Justice in 2007, my Department is constrained by law from issuing or renewing aquaculture licences for sites located within Natura 2000 areas, until such time as an 'appropriate assessment' has been conducted in accordance with those Directives of the potential of the proposed aquaculture and fishery activities within that area to impact negatively on the conservation objectives for that Natura site. The licensing process must take full account of the outcome of that assessment in reaching a determination on any particular licence application.

My Department, in conjunction with the Marine Institute, BIM and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport is engaged in a comprehensive programme to conduct appropriate assessments for the approximately 90 bays affected. This is a complex and resource intensive work programme involving the surveying of benthic habitats and bird populations in each of the 90 sites concerned, preparation of conservation objectives by the NPWS for each site, development of fishery plans for each site by fishermen, assisted by BIM, and ultimately conduct of the appropriate assessment by the Marine Institute on behalf of my Department.

This process is ongoing and significant progress has been made. This comprehensive work programme will enable all new, renewal and review applications to be appropriately assessed for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the Birds and Habitats Directives. This work represents a significant financial, administrative and scientific investment by the State in resolving this issue. The appropriate assessment of aquaculture applications will be dealt with on a bay-by-bay basis.

My Department continues to make every effort to expedite the determination of all outstanding licence cases, having regard to the complexities of each case and the need to comply fully with all national and EU legislation.

The concentration of aquaculture sites in environmentally sensitive Natura 2000 areas is also proving a significant obstacle in terms of supporting the development of the industry through the Aquaculture Industry Development Measure of the Irish Seafood National Programme. In light of the ECJ judgment and in order to avoid the significant risk of fines being imposed on Ireland in connection with un-assessed aquaculture activity in Natura 2000 areas, it was necessary to include a restriction in the Programme excluding aquaculture sites in Natura 2000 areas from support under the Programme until the site concerned has been the subject of an appropriate assessment. As the programme of appropriate assessments is rolled out bay by bay over the course of this year, I expect that many more aquaculture sites will become eligible for support.