ANNEX 3: IRELAND Contributors Partner 3: University College Cork, Coastal & Marine Resources Centre, Presentation Buildings, Western Road, Cork, Ireland Ollscoil na hÉireann, Ionad Acmhainní Cósta is Mara, Corcaigh, Eire Ms. P. Clayton, Ms. C. Buchanan, Ms. V. Cummins, Mr. H. Sealy, Mr. D. O’Leary, Mr. C. O’ Mahony, Mr. N. Pfeiffer. AQCESS (Q5RS-2000-31151) Workpackage 3: Enviroreview 2 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................3 2. SITE DEFINITION............................................................................................................................5 3. ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION.............................................................................................7 3.1 LEGISLATION ..............................................................................................................................7 3.2 AUTHORITIES INVOLVED IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ..................................................16 4. ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SITE......................................................23 4.1 CLIMATE...................................................................................................................................23 4.2 FRESHWATER CATCHMENTS .....................................................................................................25 4.3 MARINE WATERS ......................................................................................................................30 5. HUMAN ACTIVITIES AND SOURCES OF POLLUTION .......................................................34 5.1 AGRICULTURE ..........................................................................................................................34 5.2 INDUSTRY .................................................................................................................................35 5.3 TOURISM...................................................................................................................................37 5.4 SHIPPING...................................................................................................................................42 5.5 OTHER SOURCES OF POLLUTION................................................................................................45 6. AQUACULTURE ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................48 6.1 AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION....................................................................................................48 6.2 IMPACT ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................56 6.3 RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF AQUACULTURE NUTRIENT LOADS ..................................................73 7. FISHERIES ASSESSMENT ...........................................................................................................81 7.1 LANDING SITES AND INSHORE FLEETS.......................................................................................82 7.2 FISHING METHODS ....................................................................................................................83 7.3 TONNAGE AND VALUES OF INSHORE SPECIES LANDED ..............................................................84 8. CONCLUSIONS...............................................................................................................................94 9. RECOMMENDATIONS……………………………………………………………………… …..99 REFERENCES...................................................................................................................................100 APPENDIX I.......................................................................................................................................108 AQCESS (Q5RS-2000-31151) Workpackage 3: Enviroreview 3 1. INTRODUCTION The aim of the Enviroreview work package in Ireland is to identify and quantify the effects of aquaculture development on the local physical marine environment at the two study sites in Bantry Bay and the Dingle Peninsula. Information on environmental quality in these two sites has been assembled from a variety of sources, including relevant research projects, and reports and data from government departments and agencies, and local authorities eg. Kerry County Council (KCC), Kerry County Development Board, Cork County Council (CCC), Cork County Development Board, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Central Fisheries Board (CFB), South Western Regional Fisheries Board (SWRFB), Department of Communications Marine and Natural Resources (DoCMNR), Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (DAHGI), Department of Environment and Local Government (DoELG), Dúchas, Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Central Statistics Office (CSO), Nautical Enterprise Centre Ltd. (NECL), Aberdeen University, etc. This report presents a review of that information. Included are data on water quality and marine biota, inputs/outputs from aquaculture facilities and other anthropogenic and natural sources; data on bathymetry, sediment types and marine currents; information on environmental legislation, regulation, monitoring and the statutory bodies responsible. Types of data accessed include: • Existing data on aquaculture production, feed usage and emissions at fish farms (nutrients, chemicals); • Water quality and sediment composition measurements; • Information on freshwater inputs: river systems; • Organic enrichment from agricultural run-off and sewage; • Other types of pollution, e.g. pathogens, heavy metals, organochlorine compounds, oil spills, ballast water from shipping; • Results of studies on the marine biota, particularly indicator species (benthos, plankton, fish communities etc); • Information on local marine current systems and bathymetry - information on the degree to which land-based and coastal inputs of pollutants and other materials are likely to be transported from (or into) the study area; AQCESS (Q5RS-2000-31151) Workpackage 3: Enviroreview 4 • Environmental protection regulations, monitoring schemes and contingency plans for dealing with environmental contamination; identification of the bodies responsible for these functions. Information on compliance with environmental regulations and typical environmental conflicts related to aquaculture. AQCESS (Q5RS-2000-31151) Workpackage 3: Enviroreview 5 2. SITE DEFINITION The Define work package report (WP2) described the two Irish study areas which are located in the south-west of the country (Figure.1) The first site is the more southerly of the two study areas, Bantry Bay in County Cork. The second site, in County Kerry, is made up of the coastal area extending from Kerry Head to Valentia, incorporating Dingle Bay. Together the two sites contain approximately 250km of coastline. South West Kerry (Dingle) Bantry Bay Figure.1 Location of Irish case study areas. (Source: CMRC). The Bantry Bay and Dingle sites share certain geographical and demographic features. The coastline in the south-west of Ireland is rocky, highly indented and characterised by relatively long bays running along a north-east to south-west axis. Each study site includes one of these long bays, Dingle Bay and Bantry Bay. The population is sparse in both sites: between 21 and 32 people per square kilometre, compared with an average of 38 people per square kilometre for Counties Cork and Kerry as a whole (Central Statistics Office, 1996). The Bantry Bay site can be defined as the waters and coastal lands east of a line from Dursey Island (northern shore) to Sheep’s Head (southern shore) and extending 20 km seawards from the these two points. The Dingle site includes Dingle Bay with the stretch of more open coastline up to 20 km north of the Dingle peninsula. Water flushing in Bantry AQCESS (Q5RS-2000-31151) Workpackage 3: Enviroreview 6 Bay is slow being wind-driven in an anti-clockwise direction (which has implications for nutrient availability for shellfish culture). This is not an issue in the Dingle area. There is a long tradition of fishing throughout the region. Aquaculture activity is also present at each site, with large-scale intensive operations in Bantry Bay and small-scale extensive methods in use in the Dingle area. Shellfish farming is predominant – salmon is the only finfish species produced. Bantry Bay hosts Ireland’s greatest concentration of rope-mussel culture (Marine Institute, 1999), several caged salmon farms and other aquaculture operations in addition to a significant fishing fleet. In contrast the Dingle area has little or no intensive aquaculture but a number of stock enhancement schemes are underway. Dingle also has a significant fishing fleet. Marine tourism is an important component of the local economy along the southwest coast, and includes shore and deep sea angling, diving, sailing, and coastal and island eco-tours. Other sources of income in the region are agriculture, land-based tourism, various manufacturing industries, building construction, fish processing, sales and service industries. Of the two study sites, Bantry Bay is home to heavier industrial activities, including an oil terminal and a major stone quarry. Whiddy Island, at the north east of Bantry Bay, is the site of Ireland’s largest oil terminal which holds a large proportion of the country’s strategic oil reserve. Oil tankers of up to 350,000 dwt (dead weight tonnage) service the terminal. The Tarmac Flemming road stone quarry, the