Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 1986 > Committee on the Secondary Legislation of the European Communities (4th Committee) > Report No. 33 - Aquaculture

APPENDIX II

Official Bodies Involved in the Aquaculture Industry (23)

A. Government Departments (3)

1. Department of Fisheries and Forestry

The Department has responsibility for preparing and administering aquaculture legislation and developing and implementing national policies with respect to aquaculture. It licences fish farms, issues import and export licences, provides technical assistance to aquaculture ventures, and conducts fisheries research.

2. Department of Communications

Permission must be obtained from this Department for placing structures in the sea or building facilities on the foreshore. A licence is issued and a fee charged.

3. Department of Health/Health Boards

The Health Boards are responsible for certifying that shellfish and finfish are free of contamination. The Department also supervises the hygiene in premises where food products are prepared for human consumption.

B. Semi-State Bodies (7)

4. Bord Iascaigh Mhara

The Bord is responsible for the development of the fishing industry and for fish farming outside Gaeltacht areas. It provides financial assistance, market information and advice, and short-term training courses.

5. Udaras na Gaeltachta

This agency has responsibility for development activity in the Gaeltacht regions. It provides financial assistance and arranges training.

6. AnCO

The Industrial Training Authority is involved in a number of training programmes for aquaculture projects.

7. NDC

The National Development Corporation (previously the National Enterprise Agency) has targeted aquaculture as a natural resource based industry with the potential for considerable growth. It has been providing grant assistance to new ventures.

8. YEA

The Youth Employment Agency has provided financial support to new fish farms and to aquaculture training centres.

9. ESB

The Electricity Supply Board operates the largest salmon hatcheries in Ireland. It is the principal supplier of smolts to salmon farms. It owns salmon and trout farms and is involved with salmon ranching experiments.

10. CTT

Coras Trachtala is the national agency for promoting and developing exports. It provides assistance and information to BIM in marketing fish products overseas.

C. Teaching and Research Organisations (10)

11. UCG

University College Galway, a major centre for marine research in Ireland, has established a School of Marine Sciences during the last decade which links applied research being conducted by the Departments of Microbiology, Zoology and Botany. The Shellfish Research Laboratory (see item 15) in Carna also operates under the auspices of UCG.

12. UCC

The Marine and Coastal Research Group in University College Cork coordinates research being done by the Zoology, Civil Engineering and Food Microbiology Departments.

13. RTCs (3)

The Regional Technical College in Galway provides a three year management training course in aquaculture. RTC Letterkenny offers a one year course. Tralee RTC offers courses on the operation and development of shell fisheries.

14. Salmon Research Trust

The Trust undertakes research into the breeding, rearing nutrition and control of disease in salmonids.

15. Shellfish Research Laboratory

The Laboratory conducts wideranging research into aquaculture techniques, including hatchery and nursery systems, the food requirements of particular species, and on-growing experiments.

16. AFF

An Foras Forbartha is responsible for the protection and monitoring water quality in rivers, lakes and estuaries.

17. IIRS

The Ocean Services Division of the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards provides advice and technical assessments on engineering (eg raft design) aspects of fish farming. The Environmental Department is involved in effluent treatment and pollution control.

18. NBST

The National Board for Science and Technology has had a major involvement with research into aquaculture. A comprehensive report was published in 1982 (see References), and Technical Bulletins are also published. The Board are also involved with others in funding and directing the research of the Shellfish Research Laboratory.

D. Other Agencies (11)

19. Central and Regional Fisheries Boards (8)

The CFB and the seven Regional Fisheries Boards are responsible for the conservation, protection, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including salmon resources.

20. County Development Teams (3)

These teams have the task of encouraging and assisting economic development in each of the western counties. Particularly in Donegal, Galway and Cork they have been involved in aquaculture projects especially cooperative-based ventures.