Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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125. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason no appropriate assessment screening was conducted for the Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout Ballysadare (Closed Rivers), Bye-law No. C.S. 336, 2024, that covered multiple special areas of conservation, considering his statement of 27 July 2021 vis-à-vis the EU legal requirement to assess potential impacts of proposed fisheries by-laws on the conservation objectives of special area of conservation waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41133/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Following concerns raised about the unexplained mortalities of more than 900 salmon found in the Ballysadare river, I introduced an Emergency Bye-Law on 17^th July which suspended all angling activity in the waters of the Ballysadare River system in the No. 12 Sligo District with immediate effect. The Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout Ballysadare (Closed Rivers) Bye No. C.S. 336, 2024 was enacted as a precautionary and emergency measure against any potential spread of disease that could occur in the absence of information on the nature of the fish kill in the catchment.

At that time Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and partners at the Marine Institute and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine were investigating the salmon mortalities found in the Ballysadare river and, in this context, had to consider potential disease spread risks to other fish species in the wider catchment. Results of post-mortem analysis to determine the cause or causes of the deaths and associated environmental analyses were not yet available at the time of introduction of the bye-law.

Given the urgent and emergency requirement for immediate action to prevent any potential disease spread that could occur, there was no opportunity in the time available for an appropriate assessment screening to be conducted and evaluated for the Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout Ballysadare (Closed Rivers) Bye No. C.S. 336, 2024