Written answers

Friday, 7 September 2018

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Aquaculture Licences

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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984. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the conclusions and findings contained in the newly updated draft appropriate assessment conclusion statement in which proposals to manage and licence aquaculture activities in the west of the Ardara/Maas Road Special Area of Conservation are outlined; his further views on whether the activities for which a licence is required would be consistent with conservation objectives for a Natura 2000 site; his further views on whether such activities will not lead to a disturbance to local habitats and species and will therefore not result in a deterioration to the attributes of same; the details of the information and the source of same which informed this statement; if he plans to approve the draft statement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36188/18]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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All applications for aquaculture licences are considered by my Department under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act, the 1933 Foreshore Act and applicable EU legislation. The legislation provides for a period of public and statutory consultation.

All applications in ‘Natura 2000 areas, i.e. areas designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and/or Special Protection Areas (SPAs), are required to be appropriately assessed for the purpose of environmental compliance with the EU Birds and/or Habitats Directives. The obligation to undertake Appropriate Assessment derives from Article 6(3) and 6(4) of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC as transposed into Irish legislation by the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. West of Ardara/Maas Road has been designated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the EU Habitats Directive. An Appropriate Assessment report has been completed by the Marine Institute in respect of aquaculture applications located in or adjacent to the West of Ardara / Maas Road SAC and considers the risks posed by the proposed activities to the conservation features of the Natura site. The assessment process complies with best scientific practice.

My Department has prepared a draft Appropriate Assessment Conclusion Statement which outlines how it is proposed to manage aquaculture in West of Ardara / Maas Road Special Area of Conservation in compliance with the Habitats Directive. This draft Conclusion Statement is available on my Department’s website:

The Appropriate Assessment Conclusion Statement, which is currently in draft form, supplements the Appropriate Assessment report and should be read in conjunction with it. The Conclusion Statement will be finalised taking account, if appropriate, of any written submissions or observations made to my Department during the public and statutory consultation phase for aquaculture applications as they relate to the conservation features in the West of Ardara/Maas Road SAC, and any other relevant information. The statutory and public consultation phase for aquaculture applications in this SAC has not yet been completed.

My Department is continuing to examine aquaculture applications in the West of Ardara/Maas Road SAC in accordance with the applicable legislation and full account is being taken of the engineering, scientific, environmental, legal and public policy aspects relevant to each application. Aquaculture projects in this SAC will only be authorized if they (individually or in combination with other plans or projects) do not give rise to significant adverse impacts on the integrity of West of Ardara / Maas Road SAC, having regard to its Conservation Objectives.

As the aquaculture licence applications in this SAC under active consideration as part of a statutory process it would not be appropriate to comment further on the matter at this time.

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