Save The Swilly 3 June, 2002

NO ROOM FOR TRADITION IN LOUGH SWILLY

The urgent need for a coherent integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) strategy for Lough Swilly has been highlighted by a series of issues affecting the livelihoods of traditional fishermen in the lough.

The conviction of five oyster pickers for harvesting oysters manually without a dredging licence, the commercial seeding of mussels over natural oyster beds, and the failure of Lough Swilly fishermen to attract any grant funding from the government in the latest fleet upgrade all point to a concerted effort by the Department of the Marine, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Northern Regional Fisheries Board to undermine or "phase out" traditional fishermen in Lough Swilly.

As the case against the oyster pickers proceeded, a 100' dredger owned by Dutch interests was working the sea-bed in areas of Lough Swilly that may contain wild oysters, contravening the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997. Certain mussel farmers have also transferred mussel seed from Lough Foyle to Lough Swilly, or plan to do so. Lough Foyle has a notorious record for toxic algal blooms and diseases afflicting shellfish, and this is well known to the Department of the Marine, which has taken no action to stop the transfer.

"The draconian action taken by the Northern Regional Fisheries Board in the case of the oyster pickers, and the refusal of the Department of the Marine to implement the law in the case of mussel seed sown over indigenous oyster beds suggests to us there are two sets of rules - one for those with close connections to the authorities and another for those without this advantage," a Save the Swilly spokesman said.

"The Northern Regional Fisheries Board has used heavy artillery to deal with people who are engaged in an activity that could easily be regularised, while turning a blind eye to a far greater threat to Lough Swilly's wild oyster beds - illegal dredging and the import of shellfish from the seriously tainted Lough Foyle," the spokesman said.

Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), meanwhile, does not seem to realise there are commercial fishermen in Lough Swilly, awarding seven new boats to fishermen in County Donegal but none at all in Lough Swilly. "We believe these issues form part of a deliberate attempt to clear Lough Swilly of traditional hunter/gatherers to make way for aquaculture," Save The Swilly said.

SAVE THE SWILLY contacts:

Email: info@loughswilly.com
Phone: Tony Morrison (353) 07493-63733
Phone: John Mulcahy (353) 07491-59113; (353) 086-2808636
Address: c/o Buncrana Anglers Association,
Castle Lane, Buncrana, Co. Donegal
Website: www.loughswilly.com

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Archived Press Releases:

September 25, 2006
Oyster crisis exposes "shambles" in management of Swilly

July 11, 2005
Attempt to double salmon-farming output in Lough Swilly

August 23, 2004
Which part of "No" don't they understand?

June 2, 2004
Coulter calls for political change in Donegal

December 15, 2003
Portsalon salmon-farming licence refused by ALAB

November 05, 2003
Sea Trout and Wild Salmon have been Victims of 'Ethnic Cleansing' - FISSTA

September 24, 2003
Prime Time Exposes Aquaculture's Shortcomings

July 24, 2003
Save the Swilly Calls for Farmed Salmon Mortality Monitor

July 21, 2003
Another Disaster in Inver Bay - Inquiry Essential

July 17, 2003
Rural Development Towards Sustainability

February 8, 2003
Save the Swilly Meets Inishowen Politicians

February 3, 2003
Blue Flag Beach Threatened by 80-Acre Fish Farm

January 29, 2003
Save the Swilly 10,000-Signature Petition Accepted by Europe

January 28, 2003
New Alliance Formed in Swilly

December 16, 2002
"Stop Ripping Up the Swilly" Indigenous People Demand

December 13, 2002
Lough Swilly's Indigenous Fishermen Speak Out

October1, 2002
Public Meeting to Discuss Integrated Coastal Zone Management

September 25, 2002
Save the Swilly Welcomes the Strategy on Coastal Zone Mangement

August 12, 2002
Integrated Coastal Zone Management Proposal Launched

August 2, 2002
Questions over decomposing salmon in Inver Bay

June 3, 2002
No Room for Tradition in Lough Swilly

May 3, 2002
Save the Swilly opts for "Swilly First"

May 3, 2002
Save the Swilly/Green Party candidate withdraws

May 1, 2002
Save the Swilly/Green Party candidate to contest Donegal North-East

April 18, 2002
Coulter to be "Ambassador at Large" for Save the Swilly

March 25, 2002
Save The Swilly presents 10,000-signature petition to EU

March 12, 2002
Study of Lough Swilly launched

November 30, 2001 STS letter to Hugh Byrne, Minister for State for the Department of the Marine

November 27, 2001 ICZM and OSPAR - not Clams - for Swilly

October 17, 2001 Salmon farm wants still more licences inshore

September 17, 2001 Save the Swilly meets Labour Party

September 13, 2001 Save the Swilly meets Minister of State Byrne

September 1, 2001 Save the Swilly begins fundraising drive

August 28, 2001 Save the Swilly welcomes I.F.A. initiative

May 15, 2001 Expansion of salmon farming tragic for Swilly

April 9, 2001 Mussel barrels adrift in Lough Swilly

March 22, 2001 Save the Swilly presents petition

March 13, 2001 Save the Swilly questions Minister Byrne

March 11, 2001 Save the Swilly reaffirms call for moratorium

February 20, 2001 Launch of Save the Swilly website

January 24, 2001

January 16, 2001 Delegation meets Minister Hugh Byrne

January 9, 2001 Save The Swilly
(from looking like Mulroy Bay)