March 25, 2002

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

Save The Swilly (STS) has presented a petition with close to 10,000 signatures to the European Parliament. The petition was handed to Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna in Dublin on Monday, 25th March, and she will present it to the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The STS petition calls on the Irish government to declare a moratorium on aquaculture licensing in Lough Swilly pending completion of a series of independent scientific studies on the lough. STS has commissioned the first of these, a Scoping Study now being conducted by the Coastal Studies Research Group at the University of Ulster's School of Environmental Studies in Coleraine. Once completed, the Scoping Study will be be used as the basis for a comprehensive study into a proposed Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) strategy for Lough Swilly.

The STS petition, gathered over the past year, is critical of both the Irish government and the European Union (EU) for failing to protect the marine environment in Lough Swilly. The Irish government has ignored calls to commission a scientific study of the lough, while the EU continues to provide extensive grant aid to aquaculture operators in Lough Swilly, at the same time expressing grave concern about aquaculture licensing within Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protected Areas (SPA).

"It is not good enough for the Department of the Marine to continue licensing aquaculture operations, while ignoring the threats to wild-fish stocks, to bird habitats and to the legitimate interests of other users of the lough," STS chairman Tony Morrison said. "The attitude of the Irish government authorities is completely biased in favour of the expansion of aquaculture, and our reasonable demand that a detailed assessment of the lough be carried out has fallen on deaf ears. We have no alternative but to take our complaint to Europe."

STS believes the EU can play its part by withholding further funding of aquaculture activities in Lough Swilly until the series of scientific studies has been completed and assessed. EU funding for a comprehensive assessment of Lough Swilly would benefit all stakeholders, and not exclusively the aquaculture sector.

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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SAVE THE SWILLY GROUP MEMBERS updated March 2002

Aileach Net Fishermen's Association
An Taisce (North West Region)
Birdwatch Ireland (Donegal Branch)
Buncrana Anglers Association
Buncrana Boat Club
Buncrana Environmental Group
Buncrana Gun Club
Bunnaton House, Glenvar
Donegal Game Angling Federation
Donegal Historical Society
Donegal Salmon & Inshore Fishermen's Association
Drift Inn, Buncrana
Fahan Sea Angling Club
FISSTA (Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers)
Fort Royal Hotel, Rathmullan
Glasoige Maghbhile (environmental group), Moville
Inch & Leenan Commercial Fishermen
Inishowen Environmental Group
Inishowen Gateway Hotel, Buncrana
Inishowen Sub-Aqua Club, Buncrana
Irish Fishermen's Organisation (IFO)
Lake of Shadows Hotel, Buncrana
Letterkenny Angling Club
Lough Swilly Preservation Group
Lough Swilly Yacht Club
MayDay (Donegal Branch)
The Meitheal Trust, Inch Island
Moville / Greencastle Environmental Group
North West Environmental Alliance, Moville
Ramelton Community Action Group Ltd
Rathmullan Cottages Association
Rathmullan House, Rathmullan
Save Our Sea Trout (SOS)
St John's Restaurant, Fahan
Tierney's Pharmacy, Buncrana

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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)