Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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217. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to review the use of teflubenzuron-based pesticides, which are being used in Irish salmon farms, in view of the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency's recent decision to ban them, and order the removal of such pesticides from the market by their manufacturers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19695/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The use of a teflubenzuron-based medicine (Calicide) as an in-feed medication for the treatment of sea-lice on farmed salmon is authorised by the Health Products Regulatory Authority. Under the National Residues Control Plan for Aquaculture (as part of the overall National Residues Control Plan), the Marine Institute tests for residues of veterinary medicines, including teflubenzuron, in fish at harvest stage:

-to ensure farmed fish are fit for human consumption and do not contain substances exceeding their maximum residue limit, as laid out in the EU Residues Directive (96/23/EC) and

-to promote good practice in aquaculture with respect to the use of therapeutic treatments.

The results from this monitoring show consistent low occurrence of residues in farmed finfish, with 0% non-compliant target residue results for the period 2006-2014.

In furtherance of my Department’s policy of best practice in respect of aquaculture operations, I will keep the matter under review.