An independent study of the current physical, biological and chemical status of Lough Swilly in Donegal has been commissioned. It was commissioned by a local umbrella group which is concerned about the rapid development of aquaculture in the area.
The Save the Swilly organisation, whose 35 members include the Donegal branch of Birdwatch Ireland, and the Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers, is calling for a moratorium on aquaculture licensing in the deep-water sea lough until a comprehensive baseline study and an environmental impact study is completed.
The study will be conducted by the Coastal Studies Research Group at the University of Ulster's School of Environmental Studies in Coleraine, and it is hoped to follow this up with an integrated coastal-zone management strategy for Lough Swilly.
According to Save the Swilly spokesman Mr John Mulcahy, the group is not opposed to aquaculture but is concerned about the pace of development and the lack of any overall plan.
"The dramatic acceleration in the output of aquaculture has begun to impinge on other users of the lough and before we go forward we need to step back and see just what is happening," he said.
"If there are problems with agricultural run-off, industrial waste or pollution, what are the implications for aquacultural development? And if there is really efficient fish husbandry, how can we protect wild salmon and sea trout?"
He said huge potential existed in Lough Swilly and it may well be that it could cope with even more aquaculture-related activities. "But we do not think the Government is attaching anywhere near enough weight to genuinely assessing the negatives and positives of developments so far," he added.
The lack of any overall strategy was borne out recently when it emerged that mussel seed had been inadvertently laid on wild oyster beds. Although a local co-ordinating group has taken steps to try and overcome this problem, the matter has raised several questions about the licensing system and the dredging of mussels in areas containing oysters.
The Labour candidate for Donegal North-East, Mr Jackie McNair, has called for an immediate investigation. "There are serious breaches of legislation evident," he claimed.
There are also concerns about trying to get the balance right between corporate interests, who are backing some of the aquaculture projects, and local fishermen.