Written answers

Tuesday, 21 June 2016

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Aquaculture Licence Applications

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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476. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 183 of 14 April 2016, if he will appoint an independent person from outside his Department to undertake the review of his Department’s aquaculture licensing system in order that non-industry stakeholders and the general public can have confidence that the review is balanced and genuine. [16824/16]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s first National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development was published by my Department in December 2015. That Plan proposes 24 actions to drive the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector and sustainably grow production in the sector by 45,000 tonnes.

Action number 22 of the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development commits my Department to a review and revision of the aquaculture licence process, including the applicable legal framework. This Review is echoed by the recommendations of FoodWise 2025.

Aquaculture licences are determined by my Department having regard to the requirements of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997, the Foreshore Acts 1993-2011, the EU Habitats and Birds Directives, the Aarhus Convention, requirements relating to underwater archaeology and certain other regulatory requirements.

Thus, the process around aquaculture licensing is extremely complex and demanding. Nevertheless, since 2012 my Department has made 471 aquaculture licence determinations.  Some 53 licence determinations have been made so far this year and in the order of 150 - 200 licence determinations are expected for the year as a whole.

The National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development recognised the complexity of the present process and related legal framework. It committed to a review of the licensing process, including the legal framework. I am presently considering this commitment and the many other actions proposed in the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development and expect to progress the issue in 2016.

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