Hopes rise of solution to dispute over Clew Bay fish farming

It is not quite a "breakthrough", but significant progress has been made in the past week in the dispute over the future of Clew Bay in Co Mayo - and the dramatic view of the bay from the summit of Croagh Patrick.

Tourism, environmental and fish-farming interests have agreed in principle to work towards an integrated strategic plan for the area.

A meeting at Westport, Co Mayo, on Friday night has been described as "positive" by both Mr Paddy Hopkins, chair of the Mayo Environmental Group, and Mr Michael Mulloy, chair of the Clew Bay Marine Forum. A liaison group has been proposed which will involve representatives of the tourist and marine sectors under an independent chairman, to be appointed by the Minister for the Marine.

The controversy arose over plans by Clare Island Seafarm Ltd to expand its presence in the bay, where it currently produces about 2,000 tonnes of salmon a year. The fish farm, run by Mr David Baird, is one of the largest employers on Clare Island and Achill, with 38 workers. It pioneered the cultivation of organic-farmed salmon, for which it has international quality status. However, the Mayo Environmental Group expressed concern about the visual and environmental impact, under the shadow of the mountain.

A scooping document and environmental impact statement was prepared by Clare Island Seafarm, but this was not enough to allay concerns, although the proposed new cages would be located two to three kilometres offshore, between Inishgort and Clare Island. The company decided to modify its application to a trial licence, between October 2003 and January 2004, outside the tourist season. The cages would be removed after the four months, during which there would be time for an assessment of the effect.

Lobstermen were also worried, and so the Clew Bay Marine Forum has been attempting to broker a consensus. The forum was started in 1999 by the Clew Bay Oyster Co-op and aims to ensure co-operation between all the parties involved in an industry worth €12.7 million in Clew Bay in 2000.

Supporting the forum's efforts are Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and the Marine Institute, who are responsible for developing coastal zone management initiatives in sensitive areas. The Co-ordinated Local Aquaculture Management Plan (CLAMS) for Clew Bay was presented to Mayo Co Council last December. Under CLAMS, fish farmers of a particular bay come together to ensure that the public is "actively consulted and informed about developments" along the coast.As signatories to CLAMS, fish farmers must also agree to a series of "best practice" programmes, including schemes to reduce, recycle or reuse wastes. BIM describes it as like having "a never-sleeping watchdog looking after the environmental well-being of the bay".

Not so say critics, including the Galway City Salmon Angling Association some distance away. It described the CLAMS plan for Clew Bay it as a "total waste of taxpayers' money" and a "cynical propaganda exercise" designed to justify granting millions of Euro in State support towards a "bubble- type industry" such as fish farming. "The larger the industry grows, the more likely it is to burst to uncontrollable pollution and disease", the association said in a letter to the Mayo News .

Last month the controversy took a new twist when a group called Friends of Clew Bay was formed to serve as an umbrella group for a number of organisations, including Louisburgh Traders' Association, Murrisk Development Association, Croagh Patrick Archaeological Committee, Westport Tourism, the Mayo Environmental Group, Westport Civic Trust and several hotels in Westport. The group is intended to represent the "feet dry" interests, who believe the "feet wet" focus of Clew Bay Marine Forum does not take their sector into account.

"We have no difficulty with shellfish farmers and lobstermen, but we do feel threatened by fish farmers," Mr Hughes told The Irish Times "Clew Bay is to south Mayo what the lakes are to Killarney and the bay and the Aran Islands is to Galway. We won't accept fish cages under Croagh Patrick. It is a natural view of national importance.

"We have five salmon rivers in the bay and all have been affected by escapees from fish farms," Mr Hughes said. "We are not against fish farming, but we are against the location of cages in certain parts of the bay." BIM's aquaculture development manager, Mr Donal Maguire, met the new organisation last week in a bid to bridge the gap between it and the Clew Bay Marine Forum. "Legitimate concerns are based on a misunderstanding of the licensing system, which is very rigid," Mr Maguire said. "Each time a new licence application comes in, the existing environment has to be taken into account, and there is an appeals system."

He places great faith in the ability of the marine forum to work towards a solution, and describes the forum as a "tremendous paradigm".

Friday night's meeting was attended by the Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, although his contribution was described by several present as not particularly useful. However, the fact that divergent interests were represented was regarded as significant.

Lobster fishermen seeking a moratorium on the Clare Island development, pending publication of a strategic plan, have agreed to study the situation in Galway, with support from the marine forum. And the liaison group involving "feet wet" and "feet dry" representatives will be set up when a chair can be found. "Much depends on how independent that chair will be," said Mr Paddy Hopkins, of the Mayo Environmental Group.