Save The Swilly September 13, 2001

SAVE THE SWILLY MEETS MINISTER OF STATE BYRNE

The Minister of State at the Department of the Marine, Hugh Byrne, has undertaken to investigate poorly maintained shellfish farms in Lough Swilly. In a meeting with Mr Byrne in Letterkenny on Friday, a delegation from Save The Swilly reminded the Minister of promises he had made to them in a meeting in January to revoke licences where the sites were poorly maintained or abandoned. Save The Swilly, the umbrella organisation representing more than 30 groups and many individuals around Lough Swilly concerned about the expansion of aquaculture, requested the meeting in an attempt to clarify agreements reached during STS's initial meeting with Dept of the Marine officials in Dublin, on 16th January this year.

Responding to Save The Swilly's concerns about marine safety issues in Lough Swilly, Mr Byrne said the Dept of the Marine did not itself oversee the proper conduct of licensees. He said the fish farmers were self-regulating. However, Section 68 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997 gives the Minister for the Marine power to revoke a licence if he "is satisfied that the aquaculture operation to which the licence relates is not properly maintained". Save The Swilly believes at least two sites in Lough Swilly have not been properly maintained. "If the aquaculture industry is self-regulating, who determines whether a site is poorly maintained?" a Save The Swilly spokesperson asked.

The meeting between Save The Swilly and Mr Byrne was attended by representatives from the Dept of the Marine, BIM and CLAMS. The atmosphere was described by one attendee as 'acrimonious'. Save The Swilly continues to press for an independent baseline study and an independent environmental impact assessment (EIA) of Lough Swilly before any further aquaculture licences are awarded.

However, a BIM representative at the meeting dismissed the idea of an EIA for Lough Swilly as an impossibility due to the size and range of activities. Save The Swilly rejects the notion that the people of Lough Swilly should be denied full and accurate information on anything and everything that is likely to affect the quality of the lough. "If an EIA is too difficult for the Dept of the Marine to contemplate, they have no business granting new licences in the lough," a Save The Swilly spokesperson said. Save The Swilly has already announced its intention of commissioning its own independent EIA, and a fund-raising drive to finance the project has been launched.

In dismissing Save The Swilly's request for a subsidy of 40% of the cost of its proposed EIA - equivalent to the 40% subsidy the Dept offers to salmon-farming applicants - Mr Byrne said the government would not pay for a study "opposed to us". According to Save The Swilly, that response places in no doubt the Dept of the Marine's lack of objectivity. "An EIA on the terms we seek will not be opposed to anything that is good for Lough Swilly," the STS spokesperson added. "We intend to assess the current state of the lough, and to ask everyone around Lough Swilly to participate in decisions on where we should be headed. The current government's policy is high-handed and biased, placing aquaculture at the centre of development in the form of its Coordinated Local Aquaculture Management Systems (CLAMS), which is an aquaculture blueprint disguised as a consultation document."

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

[back to top]

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)