Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Marine
Period
1 Jan, 2025 to 30 Apr, 2025
Specific Details
Aquaculture
Intended results
To highlight the difficulties facing the Irish Aquaculture Sector.
Supports for the Aquaculture Sector
– Current difficulties facing the sector are not sustainable for Irish Aquaculture operators and some businesses will no longer be profitable unless there are significant supports during this time of crisis to assist the sector. IFA Aquaculture are calling on the Minister to consider funding mechanisms to assist Irish Aquaculture operators affected by significant production losses coupled increasing input costs and reduction on sales for aquaculture businesses
There are specific issues across all sectors namely recent losses in the salmon sector due to biological challenges (Loss of €4m worth of Salmon in Inver Bay, Donegal – Oct 2024).
Reduction in sales and market issues in the oyster sector as well as recent storm damage in Clew Bay amounting to €150k in damages and product losses, and significant mortality in Dungarvan Bay in Summer 2024 due to potential Karenia bloom resulted in 55% loss in full-grown oyster stock and 30% loss in half-grown oysters.
A lack of availability and mussel seed settlement are impacting both the bottom and rope mussel sector, along with issues in the Southwest rope mussel sector include ecological challenges, biofouling (tubeworm), poor growth and condition, resulting in a lack of saleable product – 40% reduction in gross harvest across the rope mussel harvesting season when compared with harvesting seasons which is worth an estimated value of over €5m for 2024.
IFA Aquaculture received communication from the previous Minister last October (23rd October 2024 – copy attached) where the Minister acknowledged the challenges across the sector and indicated responses to support the sector were required - response on this matter is needed urgently and IFA Aquaculture urge the Minster to establish a support mechanism for the Aquaculture sector to address current biological, economic and market challenges.
Aquaculture Policy & Legislative reform
- To achieve the objectives and specific actions outlined in the Seafood Development Programme 2021-2027 and the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture, considerable investment and appropriate legislative changes will be required to achieve the objectives of the plan.
IFA Aquaculture recognises that Programme for Government commitment to ‘Continue to support the sustainable development of our aquaculture sector and modernise and streamline aquaculture licencing in the State through legislation changes. Legislative Reform is essential to move the Irish Aquaculture sector forward and the work carried out by DAFM on draft heads of bill is encouraging and should be progressed through the Oireachtas as soon as practicable.
Licensing Review Recommendations
- IFA acknowledges that progress has been made with the Aquaculture licensing review recommendations but also that there is significant progress still to be made. Particularly, establishing a 20-year licence term which would be significant step forward for the sector providing certainty for generational renewal and investment in the sector, alongside a robust monitoring and compliance system – this is a Ministerial decision that could be progressed quickly
Appropriate Assessments
There is a pinch point in the aquaculture licensing renewal/application process around the timeframe for completing appropriate assessments carried out by the State – IFA Aquaculture have consistently stressed that clarity on the process is needed and a strategic approach is essential to meet the demand while ensuring sufficient resources for DAFM and State agencies are available to complete the work in timely manner.
The Minister must ensure that no backlog of aquaculture licence determinations will accumulate over the coming months.
Water Quality
There are 64 designated shellfish areas in Ireland as part of the EU Water Framework Directive that requires all Member States to designate waters that need protection in order to support shellfish life and growth.
Following the allocation of €2.7bn for Uisce Éireann to support the delivery of their Capital Investment Plan for 2025-2029, adeduate funding and resources must be made available to ensure tertiary treatment must be prioritised for all coastal Wastewater Treatment plants (WWTP) - specifically WWTP's adjacent to bays and harbours where shellfish production is carried out to sustain food safety, rural jobs and enterprise and compliance with the EU Water Framework Directive (formerly EU Shellfish).
To brief the Minister of State on innovative developments in Irish organic Salmon during his visit to Killybegs, Mowi and Ocean Farm Ltd.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Finian O'Sullivan IFA Aquaculture Chair, Catherine McManus IFA Aquaculture Chair, Teresa Morrissey IFA Policy Executive
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Informal communication (2-5)
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Amii McKeever
Adviser to Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Caroline Bocquel
Chief Executive Officer (Bord Iascaigh Mhara)
Charlie McConalogue
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Róisín Garvey
Senator (Seanad)
Sinead McSherry
Assistant Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Timmy Dooley
Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)