Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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222. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the tests of failed nets and mooring equipment repeatedly sought from the operators/manufacturers of two fish farms in 2010 in Inver Bay and Clew Bay after the escape of more than 25,000 salmon do not appear on the files of the investigation at the time of the final reports; and if he will ensure that these tests are in fact obtained and made publicly available. [15938/14]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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223. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it has been brought to his attention that his Department’s engineering division report concluded that the failure of his Department to ensure that the licensing conditions requiring operators to take all necessary steps to prevent the escape of fish, through ensuring that rigorous monitoring systems for checking and inspecting possible progressive damage to fish farm structures with detailed records available for inspection, were in place was the likely cause of the escape of 25,000 adult salmon in Inver Bay and Clew Bay in November 2010; and the measures he has put in place to address this issue. [15939/14]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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224. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that repeated reports from his Department’s engineering division have recommended that certified quality standards be set for all fish farm components at the manufactory level with safe working load specified; that all deployment of equipment be certified as fit for purpose by a qualified person; and the measures he had put in place or intends to put in place to implement these recommendations. [15940/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 to 224, inclusive, together.

In relation to Clew Bay my Department considered reports from its Marine Engineering Division and the Marine Institute both of which in summary concluded that:

1. The estimated number of escaped fish was not considered significant.

2. The escape was caused by a torn net.

3. The operator was required to arrange for testing of the damaged net to determine the cause of its failure.

4. The operator was required to arrange for additional testing on all nets for similar weaknesses.

My Department was satisfied from correspondence received that these matters were receiving necessary and appropriate attention by the operator.

In relation to Inver Bay, in late 2010 a significant fish escape occurred at this site which was investigated by the Marine Engineering Division of my Department and the Marine Institute. The escape was caused by the failure of mooring bridles during stormy conditions. On 12 July 2011 the operator advised my Department that all recommendations in the engineering report had been implemented. This information was conveyed to my Department at a scheduled meeting with the operator covering a wide range of issues.

Engineering reports form a very important part of the regulatory function. The aquaculture industry is heavily regulated and subject to complex and detailed national and EU legislation. Operators are required at all times to keep cages and ancillary equipment in good repair. My Department is alert to ongoing technological changes which enhance the security of all structures on licensed sites and in this regard my Department is currently preparing a draft protocol for the structural design of marine finfish farms.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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225. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will require his Department to notify Inland Fisheries Ireland immediately when it receives notification from operators of the escape of fish from fish farms in order that it may exercise its statutory role of seeking to capture these escapees as this was not done in the recent loss of 230,000 fish in Bantry Bay and can only be effective if done without delay. [15941/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is a condition of aquaculture licences that the Licensee shall advise Inland Fisheries Ireland within 24 hours of any escapes from the licensed areas. My Department is advised by the operator that written notice of a possible fish escape/loss was issued to Inland Fisheries Ireland on 14 February. The operator has also advised my Department that due to the treacherous weather conditions it was not possible to confirm the fish loss until 16/17 February. As previously indicated to the Deputy, site surveys must be conducted in a manner which takes due account of the health and safety of the personnel involved.