This article is from page 14 of the 2013-08-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
THE validity of the scientific research used by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) in its application for a large fish farm of the North Clare coast has been cast in further doubt this week with a number of international scientists stating their opposition to the Marine Institutes research, especially the conclusions drawn about the impact of sea lice.
This has prompted a number of organisations opposed to the construction of the fish farm – which would be the largest ever built in Europe if it gets the go ahead – to call on the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney (FG), to reject the licence application right away.
No Salmon Farms At Sea (NSFAS) has called for the fish farm to be shelved until an “independent scientific examination” of the possible impact of the farm can be completed.
Research carried out by the Marine Institute, which was key to the application, was last week challenged by a team of researchers, led by Dr M Krkosek of the University of Toronto. This follows a similar conclusion being reached by Dr Mark Costello of University of Auckland earlier this month.
“The [Marine Institute] research incorrectly leads the reader to a conclusion that sea lice play a minor, perhaps even negligible, role in salmon survival. Such a conclusion can be supported only if one is prepared to accept at least three fundamental methodological errors,” said Dr Krkosek.
Indeed, new research produced by the University of Toronto concludes that the impact of sea lice on the wild fish stock in Galway Bay will actual- ly be 30 times higher than indicated by the Marine Institute study.
“This proves what we have been saying all along. BIM and the minister have stated that they are relying on the science to justify the salmon farm proposal, despite counter arguments from scientists at Inland Fisheries Ireland, Canada and New Zealand,” said Paddy Keenan of NSFAS.
“This work by Dr Krkosek completely demolishes the scientific basis for the proposal and indeed calls either the motives or the capabilities of the Marine Institute into question.”