Breakthrough for Irish industry
The decision by Ireland’s Marine Minister, Simon Coveney – which has taken four years to process – will create 8 full time jobs and a €3.5 million investment.
It will also offer fresh hope for the Irish salmon industry, which has suffered from a severe planning application backlog over the last seven years.
MHI already operates a fish production site at Roancarrig on the western side of Bantry Bay. By developing a second site, the continuing development of stocking, harvesting, fallowing and rotation programmes can be advanced in compliance with international best practice thereby securing the long-term future of aquaculture in the area.
Welcoming the announcement, MHI Managing Director, Jan Feenstra, said: “This is a very positive step forward for our company and for the aquaculture industry as a whole. Our seas have rightly been identified as a key component of our economic recovery and sustainable growth. We are extremely keen to begin work on this site as soon as possible with development at Shot Head likely to be complete in just 14 weeks.”
MHI is prepared to make a €22million investment at a number of its sites which would double its workforce here to 500 people. Irish organic farmed salmon is a premium product in Europe, particularly in counties such as France, Germany and the UK where it commands on average a 50% premium on farmed salmon produced elsewhere. The single biggest issue facing Irish salmon producers today is that they cannot meet the demand for their product.
Licencing issues
The decision has also been welcomed by IFA Aquaculture Executive, Richie Flynn, who reflects that: “Ireland’s position as a high quality, low-volume supplier of organically certified salmon from Europe’s westernmost Atlantic coast has received a boost.
“This decision is very welcome and it highlights the complexity and time delays experienced by all applicants of the Irish licencing system.
“This is the first decision in many years to grant a new marine salmon farm licence and must be the start of a process to relieve the logjam which has plagued industry and cost Ireland dearly in lost jobs and export markets. IFA has been consistent in calling for a major overhaul of the licencing system.
“After 40 years of data-gathering and experience, the generic issues associated with every licence application are straightforward and easily assessed. There is simply no need to re-run the entire process of justifying the why and how of farming from scratch each time. Site-specific issues are dealt with in the detailed Environmental Impact Study that accompanies every application and the relevant state agencies must be held accountable to specific timeframes within which to query or comment on this. Instead the current system gives endless scope for circular and bureaucratic analysis which only serves to delay decision making.
“What applicants want is a decision – one way or another but on time – because delays cost jobs and lose customers. Looking at the application process for licences in Norway and Scotland, our colleagues in those countries complain when only a year has passed between application and decision making. Ireland’s competitive edge and credibility is at stake and this demands an immediate review of our licensing system.”
The Minister’s decision is now open for anyone to appeal to the Aquaculture Licence Appeals Board.
Mr Flynn added: “Given the low workload on ALAB over the past seven years because of delays at Departmental level, it is imperative that this independent body has the resources to deal with appeals within the statutory timeframe.”
