Written answers

Wednesday, 27 April 2016

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Aquaculture Development

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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26. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the tender process for the report, Potential for Land Based Salmon Grow-out in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems in Ireland; and the input Bórd Iascaigh Mhara has had into this report's terms of reference and its outcomes. [8581/16]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I understand that Bord Iascaigh Mhara provided grant aid of €8,600 to the Irish Salmon Growers Association for the preparation of its 2015 report ‘Potential for Land Based Salmon Growout in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) in Ireland'. This support was provided through a 2014 competitive call for projects under BIM’s Aquaculture Innovation and Technology Scheme. The project was selected by BIM for support after technical evaluation by BIM’s technical specialists and appraisal by a selection board. BIM had no input to the Report’s terms of reference and the research and outcomes of the report were delivered by a scientific consultant independent of BIM.

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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27. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is any scope in the new National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development to develop the production from recirculation aquaculture systems beyond a 30% increase. [8582/16]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In December 2015 I published Ireland’s National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development. That Plan includes 24 actions to drive the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. Implementation of the Plan is supported through two dedicated schemes under the EMFF Seafood Development Operational Programme, which I launched on 14 January 2016, which have a combined investment budget of almost €30 million. These are a Knowledge Gateway Scheme and a Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme.

The Plan targets an increase of 45,000 tonnes in output from the aquaculture sector by 2023. I am aiming to achieve this growth from a combination of increased and or restored productivity from the existing aquaculture licence portfolio and from a limited number of new licences. The make-up of this increased output will include shellfish, finfish, novel species and seaweed in a variety of different production systems, both intensive and extensive.

Given the very wide variability of production systems and the large number of species being farmed, with more to be added into the future, the Plan notes that it is not feasible to offer a meaningful prediction of precisely which species and which production systems will yield the projected increases in specific years. However, I have included in the Plan a specific target of a 30% increase in production derived from recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).

Considerable international developmental effort is being put into determining the commercial viability of land based RAS systems for the large scale production of salmon. There appears to be a market niche for such a product if the current technological challenges associated with an economically viable production system can be overcome. The two schemes I mentioned earlier are promoting and incentivising applied research into RAS and private investment in RAS production. I would welcome an increase beyond the 30% target, but the ultimate increase achieved from RAS will be determined by market forces, the pace of technological development in the industry and the extent of private investment in RAS.

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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28. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports available to persons to develop new land based recirculating aquaculture systems facilities. [8583/16]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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On 14 January 2016, I launched Ireland’s new €240 million EMFF Seafood Development Operational Programme, together with a number of new schemes under that Programme. I launched two schemes for the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector, with a combined budget of almost €30 million.

The 'Knowledge Gateway Scheme'aims to develop knowledge, innovation and technology in the aquaculture sector to ensure its sustainable development. An important part of the focus of the Scheme will be applied research and development into recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) identified as an important policy objective in my Department’s National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development. The Scheme provides support to private projects of 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of €200,000. The Scheme is presently open for applications.

The ‘Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme’ aims to promote the sustainable growth of output, value and employment in the aquaculture sector. This will be done through supports for sustainably increasing the productive output of aquaculture enterprises, supporting new aquaculture enterprises entering the sector, scaling up of aquaculture enterprises to improve their competitiveness and efficiency, diversification into new species, more farming of underutilised species and promotion of organic aquaculture. Particular attention will also be given to the diversification of aquaculture towards methods with significant commercial output. The Scheme provides support to private projects of 40% of eligible costs, up to maximum of €500,000 per project per year. RAS is specifically identified as eligible for support under the Scheme. The Scheme is presently open for applications.

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