The Irish Shellfish Association (ISA) yesterday welcomed the Government's new regulations aimed at protecting coastal bays from pollution.
A total of 14 bays have been designated under the quality of shellfish water regulations to ensure that water quality standards are kept high and that all pollution incidents are immediately investigated and resolved by local authorities.
The association said it expected further regulations to extend water quality protection to up to 80 more bays, inlets and beaches where shellfish are grown around the coast.
In 2002, the shellfish farmers brought a case to the European Commission over the Government's failure to enforce a 1979 directive on the protection of shellfish waters.
The association's executive secretary, Richie Flynn, said yesterday that the directive gave special protection to areas where shellfish grow.
"After a lengthy battle, the ISA won its case, and the Government was given the choice of enforcing the legislation or facing massive fines," he said.
"The most important standards for shellfish producers are those relating to potential food safety risks from sewage," Mr Flynn explained.
He said that the regulations would not only protect members and reinforce other food safety legislation. They would also benefit the whole inshore environment.
He added that everyone fortunate enough to have a shellfish farm in their bay would now enjoy added legal protection.
The ISA is part of the Irish Farmers' Association's aquaculture section, representing over 100 small and medium-sized businesses growing €40 million worth of farmed oysters, mussels, clams, scallops and other shellfish around the Irish coast.
Mr Flynn said that, despite the new protections, catastrophes could still occur, such as the €1.5 million in mortalities caused to oyster and clam stocks on the west coast last year.r Mulroy Bay Co Donegal
Shellfish: protected sites
- Clew Bay Co Mayo
- Killary Harbour Co Mayo
- Kilikieran Bay Co Galway
- Clarinbridge/Kinvara Co Galway
- Aughinish Bay Co Galway
- Cromane Co Kerry
- Inner Maharees Co Kerry
- Kilmackillogue Harbour Co Kerry
- Inner Bantry Bay Co Cork
- Glengarriff Harbour Co Cork
- Roaringwater Bay Co Cork
- Bannow Bay Co Wexford
- Carlingford Lough Co Louth