Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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235. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of environmental monitoring on an ongoing basis that takes place in bays that have fin fish aquaculture licences; by whom is it carried out; if the results are published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36564/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Marine Institute carries out environmental monitoring on behalf of my Department in respect of finfish aquaculture licences. This monitoring is very extensive and includes the following:

Benthic MonitoringAll holders of finfish aquaculture licences at marine sites are required to carry out an annual environmental survey for each finfish culture site so that an assessment can be made of any impact of the farming operations on the seabed.  Details of the monitoring required are set out in my Department’s Monitoring Protocol No .1 for Offshore Fishfarms – Benthic Monitoringwhich is published on my Department’s website.

Sea Lice MonitoringThe Marine Institute carries out regular inspection s of sea lice levels on all fish farms in Ireland in accordance with my Department’s sea lice Monitoring Protocol (2000) and Strategy (2008). All stocks of fish are inspected by Marine Institute Inspectors on 14 occasions throughout the year. Results from the programme are reported each month to stakeholders and all the data are published on an annual basis. This monitoring programme has been in operation since 1991 and is widely regarded as international best practice.

In addition the following monitoring carried out by the Marine Institute is of indirect importance to the environment:

Fish Health MonitoringAll marine finfish farms in the country are inspected annually for compliance with fish health regulations under the provisions of Council Directive 2006/88/EC, as transposed into Irish Law by S.I. No 261 of 2008.  The inspections are carried out by Veterinary Inspectors from my Department, who work under a Service Level Agreement with the Marine Institute. Results are compiled by the Marine Institute.

Water Framework Directive MonitoringAlthough not specifically focused on bays that have finfish aquaculture activity, as part of the national effort to meet the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive, which seeks to protect, enhance and restore the status of water bodies, the Marine Institute carries out elements of the monitoring programme in transitional and coastal waters on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  A number of the bays included in the monitoring programme have licensed finfish aquaculture activity.

Residues MonitoringThe Marine Institute carries out monitoring of chemical residues in farmed finfish on behalf of my Department, as part of the National Residue Control Programme (NRCP) which is co-ordinated by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in accordance with Council Directive 96/23/EC. The objectives of the Aquaculture National Residue Control Plan are to ensure farmed fish are fit for human consumption; to provide a body of data showing that Irish farmed fish is of high quality; and to promote good practices in aquaculture.