WRITTEN QUESTION P-0584/01

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(21 February 2001)

Subject: Aquaculture developments at Lough Swilly, Co Donegal, an SAC and an SPA, and at Kenmare Bay, Co. Kerry, an SAC

Referring to complaints P20/4543 and 2000/5032, SG(2000) A/13568 concerning the potential negative environmental impacts arising from aquaculture expansions within the Lough Swilly and Kenmare Bay areas protected under EU law: Habitats (92/43(1)) and Wild Birds (79/409(2)) Directives. Does the Commission consider such developments in protected areas to be in breach of the Habitats and Wild Birds Directives?

What has the Commission done to rectify the situation or what does it intend to do?

Ireland has been given substantial EU structural funds to expand its aquaculture/fisheries industry, and applicants can also avail themselves of an EU aquaculture grants scheme. Could the Commission state how much EU money has been earmarked for developments at Lough Swilly and in the Kenmare Bay area?

Does the Commission intend to put pressure on and/or suspend payments relating to these developments?

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

(2) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(30 March 2001)

Aquaculture per se is not prohibited within Special Protection Areas (SPAs) under Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds or within areas proposed for protection under Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna. However, these Directives set out a number of procedural and other safeguards which must be respected where aquaculture has or is likely to have significant effects.

The Commission has received detailed information from complainants in relation to aquaculture expansion in Lough Swilly, and this information is currently under consideration. Pending the conclusion of the Commission's consideration, it would be premature to outline what action the Commission intends to take.

As regards Kenmare Bay, the Commission has recently requested the complainant to furnish more information under a standard request for supplementary information employed in relation to complaints concerning threats to SPAs and sites proposed under Directive 92/43/EEC. The response of the complainant is awaited.

In the operational programmes for the period 2000-2006 for the Border, Midland and Western region (which includes Lough Swilly) and the Southern and Eastern region (which includes Kenmare Bay), the contributions from the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) for aquaculture are 16,07 million and 9,61 million respectively.

Both programmes detail their commitment to respect national and Community environment legislation including Directives 79/409/EEC (conservation of wild birds) and 92/43/EEC (conservation of natural habitats) and intend to vet projects by means of Environmental Impact Assessments.

Promotors seeking FIFG funding submit their requests to the Irish authorities which select those that meet the criteria laid down in the programmes and programme compliments for the period 2000-2006 (including compliance with environmental regulations). These projects are then submitted to a selection board appointed by the minister for final approval. The monitoring committees, with representatives from both national and regional authorities, (including environmental ones) as well as from the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, are informed of the projects selected for financing and supervise the implementation of the programmes.

As implementation of the programmes has only recently started, it is too early to determine yet whether aquaculture projects in the Lough Swilly and Kenmare Bay areas will be financed by the FIFG.