Campaigners demand action on sea lice
Friends of the Irish Environment cited figures in the annual report for last year by Marine Harvest, which showed the average monthly percentage of sites above annual national trigger levels had jumped from 6.2% in 2010 to 13% in 2011 to 19.9% in 2012. Once those levels are reached the fish have to be treated. It was the second highest figure across the six countries in which Marine Harvest operates.
Marine Harvest is the world’s largest salmon farming company and Friends of the Irish Environment said the figures undermined claims by Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney that the sea lice issue in Ireland was “no longer significant”.
