#FishFarm - Plans for what would be Europe's largest organic salmon farm located off the Aran Islands have been halted by the European Commission amid worries over scientific studies related to the impact of disease.
The Galway Advertiser reports that EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik has reopened the pilot investigation into the Galway Bay fish farm proposals, and has given Marine Minister Simon Coveney till 15 January 2014 to provide explanations over a number of key concerns.
Pilot Investigation 764/09/ENV1 is looking into claims of errors in the analysis of key papers regarding the threat posed to wild salmon by sea lice in intensive salmon farming.
Meanwhile, the investigation is also following allegations that the Department of the Marine withheld information from State fisheries body Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) on the scale of damage caused to wild fish from lice - and that Minister Coveney refused to answer Dáil questions on the controversial matter.
The decision to halt plans for the 500-hectare fish farm has been welcomed by local campaigners against the scheme such as the Galway Bay Protection Group, which has called for a public enquiry on the proposals.
The Galway Advertiser has much more on the story HERE.