Inshore Ireland Vol 4 nr 1 February 2008 by Inshore Ireland Publishing

Bimonthly

incorporating

NDP funding

News from the coast and inland waterways

Aquaculture Ireland Interview

Marine R&D

Pages 8 & 9

Page 28

Man at the helm of seafood industry

Why the delay? Page 2

February 2008 Vol 4 Issue 1

Inshore fisheries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sea angling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aquaculture News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shipping spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ocean energy programme

Leachate in Clew Bay: a risk or not?

12-13 16-17 18-21 26-27

Shay Fennelly reports from Westport

MAYO Co Council's plan to build a sludge hub centre and a leachate treatment plant at Derrinumera Landfill, and to pipe the treated leachate to a new sewage scheme in Newport before discharging both into Clew Bay, received submissions at a Bord PleanaĂ&#x201A;la oral hearing in Westport earlier this month. Shellfish farmers, fin fish farmers, fishermen and local people generally welcome the proposal of a new sewage scheme in Newport but are concerned that the leachate will not receive adequate treatment before being discharged into Clew Bay. Consultants for MCC outlined the project, which includes the following proposed works: an hydrodynamic and water quality model of the outfall discharge into Clew Bay; the selected outfall site/s; the aquatic ecology; odour impact assessment; archaeology; air quality; landscape and visual impacts. Ecotoxicologist report Patrick Butler, SC for the county council, referred to a report summary by ecotoxicologist, Prof Matthiessen, which the Clew Bay CLAM's group commissioned. The report states that the proposed discharge `is unlikely

to have a significant effect on Newport

Bay

and

that

the

quality standards of the proposed discharge are sufficiently low to avoid a significant risk of bioaccumulation of toxicants in

Michael Garrick, of Tobin Consulting Engineers who prepared the Environmental Impact Study (EIS), said that the centre was necessary to give effect to shellfish'.

New flatfish farm for Connemara

PRESIDENT TO OPEN NEW HEADQUARTERS

* The new headquarters of the Commissioners of Irish Lights in DuĂ&#x201A;n Laoghaire, Co Dublin, will be officially opened by President Mary McAleese on 22 February. Photo: G Mills

the Mayo Sludge Plan. ``The plant is needed to treat the leachate at source and to comply with obligations to discontinue its current transport to Castlebar Waste Water Treatment Plant, where capacity is limited,'' he explained. He added that the Environmental Protection Agency, which is currently reviewing the Derrinumera Landfill waste licence, will set the discharge standards required for the treated leachate. The council's plan is to treat the leachate to standards in the 2006 Quality of Shellfish Waters Regulations and the 2001 Water Quality

(Dangerous Substances) Regulations prior to discharge. ``The council will comply with whatever standards are requested by the EPA,'' Garrick stressed. Scandalous situation Vincent Roche, CEO of the North Western Regional Fisheries Board, told the hearing that for almost 30 years the landfill site has discharged raw leachate that ultimately ended up in Clew Bay and that the situation in the Castlebar sewage plant was `nothing short of a scandal' (since 2001, the

Strength in Unity for all Aquaculture Producers Join to-day - call 01-4508755 or visit our web site www.ifa.ie

leachate has been transported to Castlebar WWTP). According to Roche, a new plant promised for 2005 is still not built and will not be completed for another two years: ``It is imperative that the upgrading of the Castlebar plant and the provision of leachate treatment facilities at Derrinumera are progressed as a matter of urgency.'' Central to this issue is the quality of the final effluent discharge and the discharge location. ``Continuing disposal of poorly treated sewage to the Newport river estuary, and the transport by tanker of untreated

leachate to Castlebar, is unacceptable,'' he said. Facts omission Marine biologist David Baird for the Clew Bay CLAMS group submitted that the Derrinumera EIS omits to disclose the proposed leachate treatment technology. He said that the developer was `non-compliant' with the EIS regulations as it has failed to describe the actual design to be employed, referring only to a design/build/ operate contract, yet to be agreed.

* To page 2

CONNEMARA Flatfish Ltd, a company involved primarily in the rearing of turbot and halibut, has announced a major investment and development programme at its site in Connemara. The company is run by well-known fish farmer Joe McElwee, who has secured significant investment to begin a major capitalisation of the facilities and stocks. Connemara Flatfish intends to grow up to 500 tonnes of turbot in the land-based facility within five years. Joe McElwee has worked as development officer for IFA Aquaculture and will remain in a part-time capacity to continue to develop the membership of the association. The facts Turbot ( ) is a highly valued food fish, common in the southern North Sea, Irish Sea and the English Channel along sandy and gravel shores in depths up to a 100m. Turbot can grow up to a metre long and weigh up to 25kg.

Shellfish Conference

Psetta maxima

* To page 2

15th May 2008, Castlecourt Hotel,Westport See www.ifa.ie for details

Home of The Irish Salmon Growers' Association The Irish Trout Producers' Group & The Irish Shellfish Association

INSHORE IRELAND February 2008

NEWS From page 1 According to the Matthiesson report: ‘It is considered unacceptable that the EIS does not specify the optimum treatment method, and there is no doubt that some of the alternative approaches are likely to be much more effective than others at removing organic micro-contaminants.’ Mr Baird said that the council has simply specified that the effluent shall meet all published standards/limits, as detailed in the legislation. However, a review of the ‘standards’ reveals a loophole that there are no standards specific for leachate, which means no specific limits for toxins in the leachate. On behalf of Clare Island Seafarms — the largest producer of farmed organic Atlantic salmon in Ireland with an annual turnover of €11m and holder of four organic certifications and growing markets in Ireland, Europe, USA and Hong Kong — the company’s technical manager, Catherine McManus, said that it has implemented a comprehensive contaminant monitoring programme. ‘‘Given the production nature and market image of our product, we need to be assured that the proposed leachate discharge will not contribute to the bioaccumulation of contaminants in our fish,’’ she said. She added that the leachate quality data was ‘insufficient’ for the purpose of informing choice of treatment process and the range of contaminants to be removed. ‘‘The choice of treatment technology is absent from the EIS and the proposed monitoring programme for the leachate is inadequate,’’ she said.

Faxed submission On day one of the hearing, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government made a faxed

submission that stated its key concern was the negative effects from the proposed pipeline construction on the freshwater pearl mussel and salmon in the Newport River, which is a candidate for Special Area of Conservation. The Department, in earlier comments by letter to the board, expressed serious concerns about the route and requested that alternatives to the channel crossing of the Newport River should be considered. No alternatives were proposed or assessed and no further information was provided by the council. The following day, Patrick Butler SC proposed that the council would accept a change in the direction of the pipeline along the road over the bridge and thus avoid crossing the river. Pearl mussel expert Evelyn Moorkens said that this would be more acceptable. On the issue of public examination of the proposed technology, Alan Stoney from the Clew Bay Oyster Co-op said that there was none. ‘‘We cannot afford to be told after the event what went wrong. If Westport WWTP is to be used for leachate disposal, it needs to be treated to the same discharge levels as in the proposed Derrinumera leachate treatment plant.’’

Local opinion Rita Joyce, who lives close to Derrinumera, told the hearing that her main concern was a lack of trust in the council. ‘‘The rights of local people are being completely ignored. Tobin’s Engineering Consultants, who prepared the EIS, said there were only two dwellings near Derrinumera. In fact there are 10 dwellings and two others with planning permission 1.5km away,’’ she said.

Tenders are invited by suitably qualified consultants for the following; To carry out a direct market analysis report and promotion, specifically for crayfish as a basis for restocking programmes. Secondly, carry out a direct market analysis report on the potential of hatchery produced crayfish as a marketable food fish product. This project is funded by European Union funding from the INTERREG IIIA programme which is administered for the Special EU Programmes Body by the East Border Region Interreg IIIa Partnership. This project is being managed byThe Cross-BorderAquaculture InitiativeTeam (EEIG) and has a central objective to establish an innovative hatchery method and dedicated hatchery facilities for the native crayfish species Austropotamobius pallipes.

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‘‘For the first 20 years, Derrinumera was maintained in the most appalling manner where rodents met you at the entrance. In the late 1990s, the council closed off the road leading to the site, which also served as an access road to the bog, and older people had to find an alternative fuel source. How can we trust them when they have not resolved the odour problem? Having a sludge hub centre and leachate treatment plant will have a deleterious effect on the local people and we do not want it in our neighbourhood,’’ she said.

Quality deterioration Niall O’Boyle, Clew Bay Marine Forum, said that the council’s proposal to limit discharge to 2,000 faecal coliforms per 100ml at the planned discharge outfall was ‘‘in breach of the EU Quality of Shellfish Waters Directive. The consequence will be deterioration in seawater quality from the current A classification to B.’’ He suggested alternative discharge points at Newport Quay or outside Clew Bay’s quality shellfish waters, and requested that an Bord Pleanála should specify that the leachate discharge should be treated to

Since 2001, between 60,000 and 70,000 tonnes of leachate have been transported annually to Castlebar WWTP, where it is partially treated before release into the Castlebar river. According to the NWFB, even after the outfall was moved downstream from the plant in 2005, the water quality did not improve. Photo: Shay Fennelly

potable quality so that it does not become a new source of pollution in Clew Bay. ‘‘The leachate discharge should also remain in Castlebar until appropriate levels of treatment are available, instead of the council increasing the areas

affected by leachate discharge.’’ Julian Ellison, who lives in Ardagh Bay, 1.5km from the proposed outfall option B in Newport Bay, welcomed the plan for Newport. ‘‘The discussion about leachate and its treatment comes

down to different interpretations of risk and how that risk is calculated. But the hearing has not answered the key question: if the treated leachate is so benign, why does it need to be piped all the way out to sea at all?’’

Is bureaucratic bungling to blame for delay in green light on funding? By Gillian Mills IN this the second year of the 2007-2013 National Development Plan, tension is mounting across the seafood industry over the Government’s delay in announcing the Operational Programme, which gives effect to a total investment package of €442m across the Marine and Coastal Communities Programme. IFA Aquaculture holds the chair of the Advisory Committee on Aquaculture for the European Commission and, at a meeting last November, used this position to invite the Commission to give the current state of play regarding the Operational Programme across the European Union. The Commission informed the organisation that by the end of November 2007, 20 countries had submitted their final Operational Programmes for approval, 50% of which were likely to be approved before the end of 2007. The Commission added that six countries had not yet submitted their final OP and, therefore, it would be ‘impossible’ to approve them within three months. The six were Hungary, Malta, Belgium, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and Ireland. France, with a European Fisheries Fund demand of €250m, had their Operational Programme approved in January 2008. Inshore Ireland understands that the industry has been informed that Ireland hopes to submit its OP programme for approval by July 2008. ‘‘This effectively means that with the

further inevitable bureaucracy that will ensue at home, no schemes will be available for the industry in this, the second year of the NDP,’’ IFA Aquaculture told Inshore Ireland. Irish aquaculture producers, along with fishermen and seafood processors, are left wondering why again they are last in the queue, despite all the work that went into the Cawley Report and the obvious demand within the industry to get the NDP off the ground

In response To establish the status of Ireland’s submission to Brussels, Inshore Ireland invited the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF), to respond to the following queries: NDP 2007-2013: The Marine and Coastal Communities Programme will invest €442m under three headings: seafood development (€216m), fisheries and coastal infrastructure (€203m) and coastal protection (€23m). Inshore Ireland: According to the NDP, ‘a further €118m may be made available over the life of the plan, depending on the willingness of the sector to undertake and cooperate with, in a verified manner, changes in the industry. ‘The realisation of the leveraging of private sector funding, envisaged in the Cawley Report, will also need to be taken into account. The prioritisation and allocation of funds will be based on a detailed assessment of the likely impact of the recom-

mendations.’ Q: What is meant by this extract from the chapter on Marine and Coastal Communities Programme of the NDP document? DAFF: The report of the Seafood Industry Strategy Review Group, chaired by Noel Cawley and entitled ‘Steering a New Course — a strategy for a Restructured, Sustainable and Profitable Irish Seafood Industry 2007-2013’, suggested that a sum of €334m of public funding, in conjunction with €263m of private sector investment, would be required to fully implement the recommendations laid out in that report. The 2007-2013 NDP committed to €216m of public funds for seafood development programmes with the possibility that ‘a further €118m may be made available over the life of the plan’ if verifiable progress and appropriate private sector investment was evident. Inshore Ireland: When does the Department envisage that the first capital grant schemes for aquaculture, fisheries and processing will be opened? DAFF: It is hoped that applications from interested parties in the new decommissioning scheme for demersal vessels will be sought after the scheme is formally launched. It is hoped that this launch will take place in February, though no exact date has been confirmed yet. The launch of new schemes under the Fisheries Fund Regulation 2007-2013 is contingent on EU approval for the Fisheries Operational Programme and the adoption of the EU Commission’s regulation that

will give an exemption for State aid approvals of national measures implemented in accordance with the EU Fisheries Fund. In the meantime, grant aid is being paid. Inshore Ireland: Why did other European member states have their Operational Programmes approved before Christmas 2007, with large countries such as France getting widely publicised approval in January 2008, while Ireland may have to wait until half way through 2008? DAFF: Some member states have had their Operational Programmes approved while others, like Ireland, are still in the process. In Ireland, a public consultation process concluded on 18 January 2008 and the submissions are being dealt with. The whole process of getting approval is a complex one and it is imperative in the interests of the seafood sector that it is dealt with appropriately and comprehensively. Inshore Ireland: Can these schemes begin, even though Minister Brian Cowen made no provision for any new current or capital schemes in the Budget? DAFF: Funding has been provided for the development of the fisheries sector in the 2008 estimates. BIM has received a grant of €49m in 2008. In addition, €6.3m has been allocated to fish processing and aquaculture and €19.8m allocated for harbour development.

New flatfish farm for Connemara From page 1 Colour varies with the surroundings, but is usually graybrown or light brown with darker markings. Turbot farming began in the 1970s in Scotland and soon

after was introduced to Spain, Portugal and France. Turbot is also now farmed in re-circulated systems in Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Norway and Wales. Turbot was introduced to Chile in the late 1980s

and more recently to China. French turbot production peaked at 980 tonnes in 1997 but fell back to 728 tonnes in 2002. Portuguese production ranges between 350 and 390 tonnes but Spain is by far the

largest producer with production in 2002 reaching 3,847 tonnes, or 75.9% of world total. The 2005 ex-farm price for turbot was €8.99 and in 2002, global production of turbot was valued at US$41.38m.

INSHORE IRELAND

February 2008

NEWS

* Owners of whitefish boats in Dunmore East and around the coast are waiting to hear details of tax implications as part of the decommissioning scheme, which were included in the 2008 Finance Act.

Photo: G Mills

2008 Finance Act includes revised taxation provisions for decommissioning

By Gillian Mills

men (FIF) was assured that a ``comprehensive fishing ves-

t a meeting on Janu-

sel decommissioning scheme''

ary 23 with the Mary

would be announced in Feb-

Coughlan TD, Minis-

ruary.

ter for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Minister of State John Browne TD, the Federation of Irish Fisher-

According to the FIF, changes in tax treatment of decommissioning payments were included in the Finance

Act, which was published on January 31. `As the entire taxation issue had been high on the agenda, the FIF made a pre-budget submission and the Finance Act gave effect to this scheme,' the FIF told Inshore Ireland. Minister Coughlan briefed the FIF immediately after the

tax changes were announced and because of the complex nature of these provisions, `a wide-ranging study is now underway to determine the significance of these taxation issues for our members. FIF expects to revert to the Minister with its views as soon as possible,' the statement adds.

During the meeting, Minister Coughlan also committed to a joint department/industry examination of the introduction of `administrative sanctions' for minor offences, which has been a priority of the FIF since the 2006 Sea Fisheries Act was enacted. The meeting also discussed

medium and long-term fuel costs that are `crippling the sector', according to the FIF. `The Ministers are committed to raising all relevant issues at EU level, in particular imports and alternative technologies, and are working with FIF to this end, although this will not solve short-term problems.

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INSHORE IRELAND

February 2008

Just who exactly is responsible for water quality improvement? DURING two-and-a-half days of the An Bord PleanaĂ&#x201A;la oral hearing in Wesptport earlier this month, the water quality issue was not raised by either the agencies responsible for water quality or the agencies responsible for food safety. It was apparent that shellfish producers were left on their own to deal with this critical issue. The proposals put forward by Mayo County Council (MCC) have a very real potential to impair Clew Bay's water quality by: * moving Newport's sewage discharge from an unclassified area to within approx 50 meters of shellfish beds, and discharging 2,000 coliforms per 100ml into an A classification area * piping partially-treated landfill leachate 8km from Derrinumera dump, and discharging it via the same outfall as the Newport Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). (With leachate containing many of the 100,000+ compounds that can bioaccumulate in shellfish flesh, why even consider risking this type

of discharge in a food production area?)

* tankering leachate to Westport WWTP, (a

plant not designed for leachate treatment) for partial treatment and discharge to sea, as a 2-3 year interim measure during the construction phase of the leachate treatment plant State agencies are making shellfish producers responsible for the food safety of their shellfish. We are therefore more reliant than ever on water quality and what comes out of discharge pipes. For this we must place our trust in the good actions of county councils and the Environmental Protection Agency. Regarding shellfish safety, this is not an area in which either the county councils or the EPA has gained much understanding or expertise. And unfortunately there is a lack of guidance from the agencies that have both experience and expertise; they are busy regulating the shellfish producer and not focussing on what comes out of the pipe. For example, discharge levels for coliforms

are not specified in shellfish waters legislation; national leachate discharge levels do not exist and shellfish regulators were not present at the oral hearing to provide the specialist expertise that could prove crucial in protecting Clew Bay's water quality. Food safety legislation is clearly being enacted at a faster pace than water quality improvement legislation. What is evident is that if MCC plans to treat the leachate using Best Available Technology (BAT) as stated in the EIS, it could be treated to potable quality and discharged to a river. Given that MCC plans to treat the water to a lower quality, construction of an 8km pipe and moving the discharge points to deeper water will be required to provide dilution for substances that will escape the treatment process. MCC's stated aim is to contract out the landfill operation - presumably a high cost treatment process will reduce the landfill's profitability.

Does the aggrieved fisheries sector have to protest about funding? DEAR

Editor,

THE title says NDP 2007 Ă? 2013, but in reality it is 2008, no monies have been allocated to aquaculture in 2007, and no commitments have been made in Budget 2008 for capital expenditure projects for this year. The Government can try and blame the EU for this fiasco, however: * almost every other state in the EU has had its OP approved * the EFF fund originally announced was 37.5m, the NDP fund is 335.7m * the government can partially commit to the fisheries sector in that they have allocated them some of the promised funds under the NDP Has the Government abandoned fish farmers and the costal communities of Ireland? Is the Government deliberately sand-banking funds in preparation for the next general election? Has the agriculture sector consumed the fisheries sectors funds? Is it time that fish farmers, is published bimonthly by the Agricultural Trust, publishers of the Irish Farmers Journal and the Irish Field, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12

fish processors, fishermen and inshore fisheries sectors unite and protest in Dublin? When agriculture farmers feel aggrieved they bring the city of Dublin to a standstill; is it time we do the same? Individually our sectors are small, but collectively, there are sufficient numbers to protest in Dublin and get our voice heard. It's a total disgrace that this government has abandoned us in this way, and if we don't complain about it loudly and publicly, we'll only get more of the same in the future! I got involved in the aquaculture industry four years ago having foolishly believed documents published by the EU and by the Irish Government stating they wanted to support the industry. The reality that I see is that it's all spin. I've been waiting for an aquaculture licence for three years now and I believe that possibly the lack of NDP funds is one of the reasons the State is deliberately delaying approving it. After hundreds of thousands of euro of expenditure and four

Inshore Ireland

Editor

Gillian Mills

mills@inshore-ireland.com

01-2354804/087-2902045 Features editor

Gery Flynn

flynn@inshore-ireland.com

091-844822/085-7475797 Production & imaging

Irish Farmers Journal

Advertising manager

Roger Cole

cole@inshore-ireland.com

01-2859111/087-2611597

Adrian Flynn, Aqua Fresh Fish Donaghmore, Kilkerley

DEAR

Editor

AS a local resident and sociological researcher, I wish to raise an important issue concerning the relation between the Environmental Protection Agency, the research community and the algal pollution of Courtmacsherry Bay, a problem that has been widely documented in various media outlets including Inshore Ireland. This concerns the reluctance and long delay of the EPA to finally approve or oppose research conducted by the Irish Seaweed Centre,

Dundalk

Publication dates for 2008: the Irish Times, 24 - 28 Tara Street, Dublin 2 Printed by

The publishers do not accept responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors and advertisers. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy of information contained in Inshore Ireland, we do not accept responsibility for any errors, or matters arising from same.

With EU grants contributing towards the capital costs of such schemes but not towards the running costs, it is easy to understand why any council would favour: A. `Lower running costs' i.e. high capital cost pipeline but a lower quality treatment level Instead of: B. `Higher running costs' i.e. lower capital cost with no pipeline, but a higher quality treatment level. Notwithstanding, lower running costs will adversely affect water quality, and although it should not be for shellfish producers to insist that no new sources of pollution are allowed and that water quality must be improved in a designated Quality of Shellfish Waters area, it seems that if we don't state the regulations, nobody else will. Niall O'Boyle Coastal Zone Services Ltd

EPA needs to respond to seaweed research

years of hard work, I stand to loose my family home due to the Government's unwillingness to licence us and provide us with financial support. Is this the fate that awaits all new entrants into this sector? At 37.5m if the EFF contribution is only 11% of the total funds the Government has already signed up to providing in the NDP, there's no reason not to provide these funds now to the aquaculture, processing and inland fishing sectors!

" " "

tnemmoC

COMMENT

February 23rd June 21st October 25th

" " "

April 18th August 23rd December 13th

To advertise in Inshore Ireland contact Roger Cole Email: cole@inshore-ireland.com Tel: (01) 285 9111 or 284 1544

pleading the need for methodological review. While, as a research scientist, I understand the need for methodological caution however, the delay of more than nine months is inexplicable and completely excessive. Meanwhile, important policy issues follow from the conclusion that domestic sewage is the primary source of the problem. It also raises the issue of the right of citizens to be informed as to the results of publicly-funded research in a timely manner, particularly when it potentially affects

their general wellbeing. This issue therefore brings into focus not just technical research questions but, even more fundamentally, questions of citizenships with respect to accountability and information rights. I urge that this matter be concluded urgently and the results brought to public attention at the earliest. Dr Patrick O'Mahony Point House Harbour View Kilbrittain

YOURVIEW INSHORE IRELAND February 2008

Inshore Ireland, and its publishers, do not accept responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy of information, we do not accept responsibility for any errors, or matters arising from same. Contact the editor at mills@inshore-ireland.com

Inadequate regulation an obstacle to viable seaweed-based industry hen I arrived in Ireland from Italy in January 2001, my interest in seaweed was already well established, as I used to run a seaweed company there for many years.

Once in Ireland I was determined to become a seaweed product manufacturer, and following many years of study I had developed a good knowledge of cold extraction methods and its benefits. A new Donegal company hired me to set up a cold extraction plant to convert the common brown seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) into fertilizer. This product is unique and is proving popular, but does require further research.

Small beginnings

Once my task was completed, a local fisherman and farmer with traditional seaweed rights proposed that I transform his newly-built house into a state-of theart seaweed production unit. We had finally started a proper seaweed business. The production of sea vegetables alone was not profitable enough, and to produce seaweed fertilizer was not feasible from our premises, so we looked into producing a range of seaweedbased cosmetics at the start. When we sought information on how to get Organic Certification we discovered that the Irish certification bodies were not in a position to do so. We then contacted the Instituto per las Certificazione Etica ed Ambiental (ICEA), which is part of Italy's certification body, Associazone Italiana per l'Agricoltura Biologica. They pointed us towards a qualified Cosmetologist (a recognised branch of pharmacology in Italy specialising in the production of cosmetics), who

* Four typical seaweeds found around the Irish coast (clockwise from top left): Ulva lactuca (commonly known as Sea Lettuce, it can be eaten as a vegetable); Corallina officinalis (used as a remedy against intestinal parasites in animals); Porphyra umbilicalis (often known as Purple Laver here, and as Nori in Japan where it is a valuable sea vegetable); Chondrus crispus (known as Carrageenan, it is used as a thickening agent, and when boiled, the broth is said to be effective in treating coughs and flus.

studied the various formulations. We then paid an engineer to set up a small production unit (all compulsory steps for getting certified).

industries. You can also declare on the label `made in Ireland' even if you have imported the contents from China. You can also claim that your creams have a `magic effect' against psoriasis, even if they contain small quantities of steroids to enhance the effect. Unless a court case is taken by consumers who can prove to be damaged, nobody will take the task to verify the safety of such products. At what stage will the situation governing cosmetics in Ireland become dangerous enough to stop `kitchen sink' producers? Why do we have to wait perhaps another couple of years before adequate legislation is in place that will fully address the production of seaweed-based cosmetics? Despite all this, slowly but steadily and with lots of personal effort and, it has to be said, with very little help from the State, our own products are becoming established. We fear no competition. Our experience to date could be a good example for other farmers and fishermen of good will. The west coast of Ireland still offers the best marine plant source in the world. Nevertheless, unless improved leglislation is urgently introduced to protect genuine producers, who must compete against imported products, our task will be almost impossible.

conforming to EU regulations; however in Ireland it is apparently much easier. You can wake up any day and decide to become a cosmetics producer. And just to impress customers, you can declare that Lack of standards your mother was a nurse and that The next step was to get she created her own formulaRosaria Piseri approval from our local Health tions, to get people buying your Algaran Teoranta Board, but they couldn't help cosmetics. Kilcar because as yet there are no Misinformation Co Donegal standards for cosmetic production. Any label is allowed. You can 074 9738961 Therefore, we began testing write `organic' on it even if the 087 9170536 our cosmetics on volunteers - an product contains potentially rosaria@algaran.com expensive process, but we felt it dangerous ingredients such as was safer. These passed all the the detergent and foaming agent, tests and we started to market sodium laureth sulphate or para- * The views and opinions them. bens - a group of chemicals used in this copy are those In Europe we have a lot of widely as preservatives in the contained of the author only. very good competitors who are cosmetics and pharmaceutical

IOFGA responds to Your View on organic farmed salmon was disappointed that Inshore Ireland's `Your View' was initiated with a column as biased and unfounded as Roderick O'Sullivan's on organic farmed salmon.

He appears to be deliberately confusing farmed salmon and organically-farmed salmon in this baseless rant in an effort to mislead readers. The Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association (IOFGA) operates an organic certification scheme in Ireland to some of the highest inspection and licensing standards in Europe. With regard to the allegations he makes about organic farmed salmon, I would like to respond by outlining the actual organic standards that are

adhered to by IOFGA licensees: * the use of the pesticides Dichlorus, Malachite Green or Ivermectin is not permitted * there is an extremely restricted use of antibiotics in clinical cases where no other remedy would be effective. Permission must be sought from IOFGA before this is used and it is permitted only with respect to animal welfare * Vaccination is only allowed at the hatchery stage and is strictly monitored Within organic salmon farming, the following practices are strictly prohibited: * Triploiding * the use of hormonal treatments including those intended or used for production of single sex fish * chemical treatments * antibiotic treatments for

parasites or diseases ing organophosphates and pyrethroids In management systems: * producers must ensure that water quality (e.g. temperature, Ph, salinity, oxygen, ammonium and nitrate concentrates) conform to the natural requirements of each species that is farmed * producers must also present a management plan to cover issues such as discharge consent, prevention of escapees and minimisation of damage with regard to wild species if it does occur * the diet must be a minimum of 80% organic and all agricultural ingredients much be certified organic. No genetically modified ingredients are allowed in the feedstuff * artificial, synthetic or nature * synthetic pesticides includ-

identical colours, binders, or additives including astaxanthin and canthaxanthin are prohibited in organic salmon farming by IOFGA. Mr O Sullivan's unsubstantiated opinion attempts to undermine an industry that is well regulated and inspected. Production standards in organic salmon farming (as in all organic farming), ensure that the quality of life of the animal is a primary consideration. IOFGA standards are recognised internationally and bear the mark of quality production and, as outlined by Donal Maguire of BIM, organic salmon products have won international awards for taste and quality. Grace Maher Development Officer IOFGA Tel 087 6125989

Clare islander responds to Your View on organic farmed salmon

live on Clare Island where the main employer is Clare Island Seafarms, which produces organic salmon. I therefore read with interest, Roderick's article on organic farmed salmon and Donal Maguire's answer to it in the previous issue of In-

shore Ireland

Clare Island organic salmon is exported to many countries (it can be found as far away as Kansas City, USA). The farm itself may well do more for the fame of Clare Island than Grace O' Malley and the Saw Doctors combined. Clearly, the organic label is extremely important for Clare Island Seafarms. Much has been written lately about how unhealthy and tasteless farmed salmon is, and it is mostly thanks to its organic label that Clare Island salmon has been so successful. Both Roderick and Donal Maguire clearly have strong opinions on the subject of farmed salmon. However they don't seem to agree on facts so I decided to do a little research, the result of which might interest your readers.

salmon feed contains some dye * Antibiotics can be used on farmed salmon certified as organic by the IOFGA, but their use is restricted to cases where no other treatments would work, and they cannot be used as prophylactic measures. * Hormone treatments are not allowed on farmed salmon certified as organic by the IOFGA. * The organic standard for farmed salmon certified as organic by the IOFGA completely prohibits the use of genetically modified stock and feed. (This is hardly surprising, as the IOFGA, like all organic certification bodies, is vociferously opposed to any kind of genetic manipulation). * Vaccination is permitted (at the hatchery stage only) The fact remains that the subject of organic certification for farmed salmon is controversial. US standards

In the US, for example, farmed salmon cannot be certified organic, and there's a widespread view that organic certification bodies had to lower their standards so much (particularly with regard to animal welfare and Organic standards environmental impact), as to Because Clare Island salmon make these standards meanis certified organic (by the ingless when it comes to Irish Organic Farmers and farmed salmon. Growers Association), it Predator control must strictly follow organic standards defined by this Certainly, the issue of preorganisation (or risk losing dator control (seals are still its organic label). being shot around fish farms, Some of the claims that even organic ones, because Mr O'Sullivan makes, which of the damage they do to Mr Maguire dismisses as `ill- salmon cages). And there's informed', are however cred- no doubt that the taste of ible, so I contacted the farmed salmon, organic or IOFGA to find out how their not, is inferior to that of wild organic standards apply to salmon. salmon farming. But all this being said, it is They were quite happy to also clear that organic stansend me the standards, and it dards for farmed salmon are seems indeed some (though striving to minimise envirnot all) of Mr O'Sullivan's onmental impact and to proclaims are indeed ill-in- duce higher quality than formed. conventional salmon farm* While the organic stan- ing. dards include a list of cheIt's a pity that both writers mical treatments that can be failed to acknowledge this in used on farmed salmon cer- their articles. tified as organic by the IOFGA (Chloramine T, Iodophor, Formalin), Malachite Green is specifically prohibited, and so are all Christophe Mouze synthetic pesticides, includBallytoohey ing organo-phosphates Clare Island * Astaxanthin is indeed Co Mayo allowed, and clearly organic 098 25412 / 087 2504845

INSHORE IRELAND

February 2008

Expo Seminar Programme/Clár Semineár Expo All talks will take place in the Inishmann suite, Galway Bay Hotel Friday 7th March 2008

Dé hAoine 7ú Márta 2008

The Future of Island Fisheries

Todhchaí Iascaigh na nOileán

09:45

Registration

09:45

Clárú

10:30

Setting the Scene – Summarising the Main ﬁndings of the Report on Island Fisheries Research

10:30

Leagan Amach – Achoimre ar Thorthaí an Taighde ar Iascaigh na nOileán

11:00-12:30 Future Opportunities – Speakers from an angling charter business, an island co-op, BIM, a small fish processor and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group on enhancing value and alternative activities 12:30-13:20 Supports Available – Opportunities for Aquaculture, Diversification and Fisheries Management. Speakers from BIM and Taigdhe Mara Teo 14:00-15:00 Regulatory Issues – Speakers from a marine consultancy, BIM, the SFPA, MI and NUIG covering fishing, processing and other activities 15:15-16:30 The Next Steps – Supports, Infrastructure and Representation

11:00-12:30 Deiseanna Amach Anseo – Pléﬁdh Bainisteoir Chomharchumann Inis Oírr, aoichainteoirí ó BIM, próiseálaí iascaigh, ionadaí ón Irish Whale and Dolphin Group agus slatiascaire ó Chléire éagsúlú agus breisluach 12:30-13:20 Tacaíocht Ar Fáil – Deiseanna do Mhuirshaothrú, Éagsúlú agus Bainistiú Iascaigh. Aoichainteoirí ó BIM agus Taighde Mara Teo 14:00-15:00 Ceisteanna Rialacháin – Pléﬁdh Comharleoir Mara agus aoichainteoirí ó BIM, an UCIM, MI agus NUIG ceadúnú, próiseáil agus spásphleanáil mara 15:15-16:30 An Chéad Cheim Eile – Tacaíocht, Bonneagar agus Ionadaíocht

BIM Seminar Programme

Clár Semineár Bord Iascaigh Mhara

Saturday 8th March 2008

Dé Satharn 8ú Márta 2008

10:15

BIM Grant Aid for Inshore Fishermen – Padraig Gordon, BIM Fleet Development Executive

10:15

Cúnamh Deontais BIM do Iascairí Cois Cósta – Padraig Gordon, Feidhmeannach Forbartha Cabhlaigh BIM

10:45

Safety Requirements for Fishing Vessels – Eoghan O’Toole, Marine Survey Ofﬁce

10:45