State bodies challenge sea lice findings as Aran salmon farm row simmers

The ongoing row over plans for a massive salmon farm off the Aran Islands was blown wide open this week after research carried out by the Marine Institute on the role of sea lice in salmon populations was attacked by both An Taisce and the state-run Inland Fisheries.

nThe Oranmore-based Institute’s findings showed little evidence of sea lice spread by fish farms compromising salmon populations.

But Inland Fisheries Ireland pointed to what it claimed were three fundamental errors in the Marine Institute’s report, whch it said had compromised its end result and was at odds with a newly-released paper from the University of Toronto’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

The IFI claim data differences from year to year were not treated appropriately, averages regarding the survival of fish were used incorrectly and that the study contains grave mistakes in measuring control and treatment groups, leading to wide inaccuracies.

The Marine Institute claim that lice cause only one per cent mortality in Atlantic salmon compared to two thirds as suggested by the University of Toronto.

An Táisce and Friends of the Environment have also questioned the validity of the Institute’s study and both organisations believe the development of a large scale salmon farm off the Aran Islands would lead to an infestation of sea lice that could decimate the wild salmon stock.

A statement from An Taisce says it is disappointed that serious questions had been raised about the Institute’s published research.

“The revelations about its research can only strengthen the argument that the Marine Institute is propping up Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s (BIM) controversial plans for these vast and intensive fish farms off the coast.

“Sea lice have proven difficult to control on farms, especially large farms, because it is difficult to treat all fish simultaneously. Such fish farms are linked to mass fatal infestations of wild salmon and trout in countries such as Ireland, Scotland, Norway and Canada. With the Marine Institute study now shown to be essentially a wrong-headed attempt to mask the risks posed by sea lice – harboured in great numbers within such farms – it now needs to be withdrawn in full.”

The IFI too feel the research paper should be withdrawn as it was used to form the basis of an Environmental Impact Study submitted in support of the proposed Galway Bay Fish Farm being developed by BIM.

For more on this story, see the current edition of the Connacht Tribune