Avoiding conflict about fish farming

Potential conflict over aquaculture projects can be avoided through local management plans, the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey, said in Connemara last weekend.

Several of these plans are already in place on the south coast. The latest - at Cill Chiarain, Co Galway - was initiated by the Minister just after Bradan 2000 a week ago.

Known as CLAMS (Co-ordinated Local Aquaculture Management System ), it feeds into the concept of coastal zone management.

The Minister also announced that he had established a working forum to draw up an integrated plan for marine-based development in south-west Connemara.

Fish farming is now a £60million industry, with its own code of conduct, but the number of petitions lodged with the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board reflects concern over its environmental impact.

One such petition was lodged by the Aughris Bay Community Group in Aughrismore, Cleggan, Co Galway, in relation to a licence for an oyster farm at Omey strand/Aughris Bay. Mr Laurence Conneely, chairman of the community group, said that local residents were concerned about the impact on tourism in the area. The sand flats of Omey and Aughris Bay represent a key habitat which was to have been listed for Special Area of Conservation designation.

Mr Conneely said the appeals system was flawed and unjust, and the community group now had to turn to Europe to seek justice.

The European Commission's environment directorate has made representations to the Government about the area's potential as a Natura 2000 site under Directive 92/43/EEC. Mr Richard West, a member of the North Connemara Shellfish Producers' Group and backer of the shellfish project at Omey, said that oyster farming was environmentally benign and posed no threat to tourism in the area. The trestles used could be seen only during spring low tides.

Duchas did not object to the licensing, and no objections were received from either An Taisce or Bord Failte.

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