Press Releases

Archived Press Releases:

 May 12 ,2007
ELECTION 2007: How clean is Donegal’s water, and other pertinent political questions…?

 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 02 ,2004
COULTER CALLS FOR POLITICAL CHANGE IN DONEGAL

 December 15 ,2003
PORTSALON SALMON-FARMING LICENCE REFUSED BY ALAB

 November 05 ,2003
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY FEDERATION OF IRISH SALMON AND SEA TROUT ANGLERS, FRIENDS OF CLEW BAY AND SAVE THE SWILLY

 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"

 June 21 ,2003
ANOTHER DISASTER IN INVER BAY - INQUIRY ESSENTIAL

 February 08 ,2003
SAVE THE SWILLY MEETS INISHOWEN POLITICIANS

 February 03 ,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

 October 01 ,2002
Press Releases Save The Swilly 1 October 2002 PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

 September 25 ,2002
SAVE THE SWILLY WELCOMES EU STRATEGY ON COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

 August 12 ,2002
'Lough Swilly ICZM Report'

 August 02 ,2002
QUESTIONS OVER DECOMPOSING SALMON IN INVER BAY

 June 03 ,2002
NO ROOM FOR TRADITION IN LOUGH SWILLY

 May 03 ,2002
Save The Swilly opts for "Swilly First"

 May 03 ,2002
Save The Swilly/Green Party candidate withdraws

 May 01 ,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 01 ,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 09 ,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
An open letter to the people on the shores of Lough Swilly:

 January 16 ,2001
Delegation meets Minister Hugh Byrne

 January 09 ,2001
Save The Swilly (from looking like Mulroy Bay)

SAVE THE SWILLY - September 24 ,2003

PRIME TIME EXPOSES AQUACULTURE'S SHORTCOMINGS

The time has come for a comprehensive review of the process whereby aquaculture in Ireland is licensed, monitored, regulated and policed. This conclusion was reinforced, says Save The Swilly, by the recent RTE Prime Time programme, which highlighted some serious shortcomings in the regulation of salmon farming in Ireland, including allegedly illegal dumping of dead salmon in a bog in Galway. Unfortunately, there was no representation from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (DCMNR), which is keen to publicise its role in promoting aquaculture, but less enthusiastic about regulating the industry. "It has never been more obvious than now that the expansion of aquaculture on our coastline must be reviewed," said Mr Tony Morrison, STS chairman. "Is every other legitimate user of our water resources - anglers, commercial fishermen, those involved in leisure and tourism - meant to stand back while the environment for our activities is destroyed?"

STS, citing the recent Inver Bay disaster, where huge numbers of farmed salmon have died for the second successive year from unknown or undisclosed causes, claims the Inver Bay events show that the regulatory mechanisms governing salmon-farming are inadequate. As the salmon-farming industry seeks to deflect blame for this summer's disaster from the industry itself, it has run into stiff opposition from the DCMNR. The Irish Salmon Growers Association has pointed the finger of blame for Inver Bay at both commercial fishermen and at the dredging activities associated with a substantial pier development at Killybegs. The DCMNR is naturally reluctant to acknowledge any responsibility for the deaths of a million farmed salmon, and it has officially denied any link between fishing or dredging and the fish kills.

Meanwhile, months after the latest Inver Bay disaster, and more than a year after last summer's fishkill, featured on Prime Time, when more than 50,000 dead salmon from a single cage were allowed to drop to the seabed to rot, there is still no evidence emerging from investigations being undertaken by the Marine Institute. Consultants hired by the fish farm concerned recommended that the dead salmon be left to decompose on the bottom of the bay and that regular monitoring be undertaken. Both DCMNR and the Marine Institute sanctioned this, saying the recommendations "constituted an appropriate way to deal with the situation." No reports have yet been released to the public. Given that history, Save The Swilly believes there must be a completely independent analysis of the situation in Inver Bay as a case study for the regulation of the industry generally. "The vested interests must be excluded from this investigation," the STS statement said. "Someone must be held accountable for the protection of our resources, and that responsibility must start with the Minister and his Department. We have argued repeatedly that there is an inherent conflict within the dual roles of the DCMNR. The chief promoter of the industry is also its regulator, and the second of those responsibilities is in direct conflict with the first," said Mr Morrison. "It is unacceptable that the Government, and indeed the Donegal County Council, should continue leasing Lough Swilly out to fish farmers without first assessing the impact on all other users – we can see from Inver Bay and from the dumping in Galway what the risks to the bays from salmon farming are."

Licensing of new salmon farms and other aquaculture operations cannot be allowed to continue without sensible and transparent research and consultation. "No one can tell us how much production Lough Swilly can take. What is the carrying capacity? If the licensing authority does not know what the capacity is, it is irresponsible to keep licensing. The introduction of coastal zone management would address this and other issues dogging the relationship between aquaculture and other users of the public resource."

[back to top]