Concern for 170 Donegal jobs if fish farm not permitted to expand

Donegal fish farm employees are concerned at the future of 170 jobs on the Fanad peninsula if their company, Hydro Seafood Fanad, is not permitted to expand in Lough Swilly.

A petition of more than 2,000 signatures was handed to the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey, at the weekend when a delegation from the company met him on his arrival in Killybegs, Co Donegal.

The delegation was accompanied by Independent Donegal North East TD Mr Harry Blaney. The Minister had been invited to a function to mark the retirement of Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation chief executive Mr Joey Murrin.

Mr Sean Begley, spokesman for the employees, said licence applications by Hydro Seafood Fanad to expand on Lough Swilly were before the aquaculture licence appeals board - because of objections by an appellant - while a third was before the Minister's Department.

The company is part of the world's largest fish-farming conglomerate, owned by Dutch company Nutreco, and its production in north Co Donegal represents about 12 per cent of all Irish farmed salmon output.

The company was originally established by a group of Irish shareholders in 1979 and was set up as a joint venture with the Norwegian concern A/S Mowi in 1981. With little scope for expansion in its Mulroy Bay base, it has applied for new sites in Lough Swilly.

A spokesman for the Minister said Mr Fahey could not influence the workings of the appeals board but he was fully committed to the development of aquaculture.

Farmed salmon is worth £40 million a year and late last year Mr Fahey's predecessor, Dr Woods, promised a review of the administrative and technical resources allocated to aquaculture licensing.

A recent consultancy study presented to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said £60 million invested over the next five years in Irish fish farming would yield increased exports and generate more employment in peripheral coastal areas.

The study said any "obstacles" to investment should be immediately addressed by the State to allow the industry to expand by 300 per cent, to a projected value of £450 million in 15 years' time. Otherwise, it would be marginalised on the international marketplace, the study by the Circa Group of consultants said.