Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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320. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking in relation to an incident in which farmed salmon were found in a river (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44400/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Inland Fisheries Ireland advised the Department on 7 September of “the presence of escapee farmed salmon in the Kylemore (Dawros) river in Letterfrack Co. Galway”

I can confirm that the Department has not received any reports of escaped fish from salmon farms operating in the area.  On foot of the report from Inland Fisheries Ireland however, the Department’s Marine Engineering Division immediately organised an inspection of the sites and records of salmon farms operating in the area.  No evidence of any escaped salmon was found.

The Department’s officials have however requested that Inland Fisheries Ireland provide full details of the escapes reported by them and in addition to provide samples of the “escapee farmed salmon” to the Marine Institute for scientific analysis.  A response to this request is awaited and will inform the Department’s consideration of the Inland Fisheries Ireland report.