#COASTAL NOTES - Bantry Bay has reached its capacity for salmon farming, says the committee formed to oppose a proposed new facility at Shot Head.

Save Bantry Bay has called a public meeting for supporters tonight (24 March) at Eccles Hotel in Glengarrif, Co Cork, starting at 8.15pm - where chairman Kieran O'Shea will give a presentation on the group's "wide-ranging objections", as The Fish Site reports.

Minister for the Marine Simon Coveney is currently considering the licence application for Marine Harvet's proposed salmon farm at Shot Head in Adrigole.

Concerns among the committee's members include the potential spoiling of the area's natural beauty having a knock-on effect on tourism, and the environmental consequences of algae blooms from nitrogen and phosphorous waste.

Local fisherman fear that a fish farm of more than 100 acres would see the closing off of part of an "important ground for shrimp and prawn".

Possible infection of wild salmon in local river systems by sea lice from farmed salmon is also an issue, with the Environmental Impact Statement for Shot Head highlighting an outbreak of lice at Marine Harvest's facility in Roancarrig two years ago.

The Fish Site has more on the story HERE.

The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI) has confirmed a number of reports of dead swans found along the Grand Canal in south Dublin.

IWAI representative Colin Becker said some of the dead birds were taken away for analysis, while a number of sick birds were taken for treatment by the DSPCA. 

As of yesterday morning "another half dozen" deceased swans were discovered between Portobello Harbour and Suir Road Bridge.

Initial reports are pointing to a form of botulism or other bacterial infection. No source had yet been pin-pointed but "a number of dead and rotting sea-fish were found in the area", according to Becker.
He added that swans are known to be susceptibe to bacterial infections.

The IWAI ruled out the presence avian flu, and dismissed suggestions that dredging of the canal might have disturbed bacteria in the sediment, as the infected swans were found some distance from the current dredging site.