Press Releases
Archived Press Releases:
May 12 ,2007ELECTION 2007: How clean is Donegal’s water, and other pertinent political questions…?
September 25 ,2006OYSTER CRISIS EXPOSES "SHAMBLES" IN MANAGEMENT OF SWILLY
July 11 ,2005ATTEMPT TO DOUBLE SALMON-FARMING OUTPUT IN LOUGH SWILLY
August 23 ,2004WHICH PART OF "NO" DON'T THEY UNDERSTAND?
June 02 ,2004COULTER CALLS FOR POLITICAL CHANGE IN DONEGAL
December 15 ,2003PORTSALON SALMON-FARMING LICENCE REFUSED BY ALAB
November 05 ,2003PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY FEDERATION OF IRISH SALMON AND SEA TROUT ANGLERS, FRIENDS OF CLEW BAY AND SAVE THE SWILLY
September 24 ,2003PRIME TIME EXPOSES AQUACULTURE'S SHORTCOMINGS
July 24 ,2003SAVE THE SWILLY CALLS FOR FARMED SALMON MORTALITY MONITOR
July 21 ,2003ANOTHER DISASTER IN INVER BAY - INQUIRY ESSENTIAL
July 17 ,2003"RURAL DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY"
June 21 ,2003ANOTHER DISASTER IN INVER BAY - INQUIRY ESSENTIAL
February 08 ,2003SAVE THE SWILLY MEETS INISHOWEN POLITICIANS
February 03 ,2003BLUE FLAG BEACH THREATENED BY 80-ACRE FISH FARM
January 29 ,2003SAVE THE SWILLY 10,000-SIGNATURE PETITION ACCEPTED BY EUROPE
January 28 ,2003NEW ALLIANCE FORMED IN SWILLY
December 16 ,2002"STOP RIPPING UP THE SWILLY" INDIGENOUS PEOPLE DEMAND
December 13 ,2002LOUGH SWILLY'S INDIGENOUS FISHERMEN SPEAK OUT
October 01 ,2002Press Releases Save The Swilly 1 October 2002 PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT
September 25 ,2002SAVE THE SWILLY WELCOMES EU STRATEGY ON COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT
August 12 ,2002'Lough Swilly ICZM Report'
August 02 ,2002QUESTIONS OVER DECOMPOSING SALMON IN INVER BAY
June 03 ,2002NO ROOM FOR TRADITION IN LOUGH SWILLY
May 03 ,2002Save The Swilly opts for "Swilly First"
May 03 ,2002Save The Swilly/Green Party candidate withdraws
May 01 ,2002Save The Swilly/Green Party candidate to contest Donegal North-East
April 18 ,2002COULTER TO BE "AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE" FOR SAVE THE SWILLY
March 25 ,2002Save The Swilly presents 10,000-signature petition to EU
March 12 ,2002Study of Lough Swilly launched
November 30 ,2001STS letter to Hugh Byrne, Minister for State for the Department of the Marine
November 27 ,2001ICZM AND OSPAR - NOT CLAMS - FOR SWILLY
October 17 ,2001SALMON FARM WANTS STILL MORE LICENCES INSHORE
September 17 ,2001SAVE THE SWILLY MEETS LABOUR PARTY
September 13 ,2001SAVE THE SWILLY MEETS MINISTER OF STATE BYRNE
September 01 ,2001SAVE THE SWILLY BEGINS FUNDRAISING DRIVE
August 28 ,2001SAVE THE SWILLY WELCOMES I.F.A. INITIATIVE
May 15 ,2001EXPANSION OF SALMON FARMING TRAGIC FOR SWILLY
April 09 ,2001MUSSEL BARRELS ADRIFT IN LOUGH SWILLY
March 22 ,2001SAVE THE SWILLY PRESENTS PETITION
March 13 ,2001SAVE THE SWILLY QUESTIONS MINISTER BYRNE
March 11 ,2001SAVE THE SWILLY REAFFIRMS CALL FOR MORATORIUM
February 20 ,2001LAUNCH OF SAVE THE SWILLY WEBSITE
January 24 ,2001An open letter to the people on the shores of Lough Swilly:
January 16 ,2001Delegation meets Minister Hugh Byrne
January 09 ,2001Save The Swilly (from looking like Mulroy Bay)
SAVE THE SWILLY - April 09 ,2001
MUSSEL BARRELS ADRIFT IN LOUGH SWILLY
A group of more than 150 barrels or buoys from long-line mussel farms has come adrift between Rathmullan and Buncrana in Lough Swilly, creating a serious marine safety hazard.
Members of Save The Swilly on Sunday 8th April observed two RNLI lifeboats attempting to cut the barrels loose after they had become attached to Saltpan Buoy. Malin Head Air-Sea Rescue Service was informed and issued a bulletin warning mariners about the obstruction.
Save The Swilly expressed support for RNLI efforts to clear the obstruction caused by the barrels, which appeared to have come from the Rathmullan area. "Two RNLI boats battled with the barrels for a long time, but the weight of 150 barrels plus hundreds of yards of nylon rope was too much for the lifeboats." A group of Save The Swillymembers visited the scene on a private boat later on Sunday, and described the tangled barrels as a potential disaster area.
"This is the third serious incident involving aquaculture installations in the past three months alone," a Save The Swilly spokesperson said. "In January a commercial fishing boat became entangled in netting from a salmon cage; in February a 25 metre-diameter salmon cage broke loose from its mooring and drifted across the lough overnight; now, more than 150 mussel barrels appear to have dragged their anchors. These incidents support our view that marine safety is one of the many victims of expanding aquaculture in Lough Swilly."
During a meeting with the Minister of State at the Department of the Marine, Mr Hugh Byrne, at which Tourism Minister James McDaid and Deputy Cecilia Keaveney were present, Save The Swilly was assured that breaches by licencees would not be tolerated. Despite repeated incidents there has been no statement from the Department or from any elected representatives other than members of the Buncrana Urban District Council.
"Is the government waiting for a fatality before it recognises that a safety problem exists in Lough Swilly?" the Save The Swilly spokesperson asked.
Save The Swilly's petition calling on the government to stop further aquaculture licensing in Lough Swilly until an independent baseline study and an environmental impact assessment have been conducted is now approaching 9,000 signatures. The petition was presented to the Minister for the Marine, Frank Fahey, on 22nd March; his reply is awaited.
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