Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 499: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the evidence his Department has, from Inland Fisheries Ireland, to back up a statement that sea lice induced mortality can be significant and that sea lice larvae emanating from farmed salmon may influence individual survivorship and population conservation status of wild salmon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26293/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The statement I made to the House is supported by a recent scientific study entitled "Evidence for sea lice-induced marine mortality of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in western Ireland from experimental releases of ranched smolts treated with emamectin benzoate", P Gargan, P.G., Forde, G., Hazon, N., Russell, D.J.F. & Todd.

The study cites a number of internationally respected papers on the issue. The study was also published in the prestigious Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences C.D. (2012), Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 69: 343-353.

I have arranged for a copy of the study to be forwarded to the Deputy.