The Marine Institute has dismissed claims by fish farmers that the €50-million Killybegs harbour development is linked to the Inver Bay fish kill in Donegal.
However, consultants who conducted the scientific study for the Marine Institute have taken issue with this interpretation of their work.
The institute says the sea-bed study carried out on its behalf by Aqua-Fact International Services Ltd indicates that the dredge spoil from the harbour works "did not cause the salmon mortalities" at Inver Bay and McSwyne's Bay in July and August. Over 850,000 fish died by suffocation and some 130 jobs at three fish farms are now at risk.
The institute says the sea-bed study's finding is "consistent with results of monitoring and analysis of the dredge spoil operation carried out by the Department".
Mr John Costello, managing director of Aqua-Fact International Services in Galway, told The Irish Times the institute's press release yesterday took a "very liberal" interpretation of their findings. Mr Costello said there wasn't enough baseline information on which to reach this conclusion, and therefore the harbour works couldn't be ruled out definitively.
A spokeswoman for the institute said its press release was based on a scientific evaluation of a number of reports.
The Irish Salmon Growers' Association reacted angrily to the press release.