The failure of government departments to regulate fish farm-used pesticides is continuing to threaten shellfish and inshore fishing industries, along with marine wildlife, in West Cork.
A study strongly confirms the levels of aquaculture pesticides used to kill sea lice in fish farms exceed standards set to protect the environment in places such as Bantry Bay.
Researchers took samples of water, sea bed sediment and various marine organisms near Norwegian fish farms.
The samples were tested by researchers for an environmental research organisation, Norwegian Institute for Water Research, on some of the commonly used fish farm pesticides — such as diflubenzuron, teflubenzuron, emamectin benzoate, cypermethrin, and delta-methrin.
As Norway has no environmental quality standards (EQS) system, the data was compared to the thresholds set in the UK.
In many cases, concentrations exceeded the British standards set, highlighting use of the sea lice treatments was posing a threat to the environment.
