Sir, Anglers everywhere applauded Minister Gilmore's condemnation of the vandalism of the cages in Mannin Bay. We also applauded his reaction to the Sea Trout Monitoring and Advisory Group's Report, and his pledge to the chairperson, Dr Eimer Colleran, that he will fully implement their recommendations. We thank him for his stated intention to implement the findings of the task force set up under the chairmanship of T. K. Whitaker, in full.
The main aims of the Whitaker Report and the STMAG are to reduce sea lice levels on fish farms to as near to zero as possible, and to work towards the restoration of sea trout stocks in affected rivers. The Minister has instructed the fish farmers to use some new product to eliminate sea lice from their cages. All this points to one thing, that the Minister recognises the fact that yes, it is sea lice from the fish farms which are causing the very serious lice infestations on juvenile migrating sea trout, and salmon smolts.
The salmon growers, the Department of the Marine, and the Minister all claim that there is no causal link between lice on fish farms and juvenile sea trout, yet the Minister is doing backward somersaults to get the fish farmers to reduce their lice levels. No causal link? I'll leave your readers to draw their own conclusions. If they require any help in arriving at a conclusion, I would point out that the only affected rivers are in areas with fish farms in the immediate locality. - Yours, etc..
Chairman,
Federation of Irish Salmon, and Sea Trout Anglers,
Dunscullib, Leap,
Skibbereen,
Co Cork.