§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the amount of heavy metal contamination of fish in the Irish sea; and what assessment he has made of its ecological and direct health dangers.
§ Mr. CurryData on the heavy metal content of fish in the Irish sea collected by my Department's scientists as part of their regular monitoring of coastal waters are contained in "Aquatic Environment Monitoring Report" Nos. 16 and 17 which are available in the Library of the House. The conclusions in this report indicate that heavy metal contamination of fish in the Irish sea poses no ecological dangers.
The steering group on food surveillance produces regular reports on levels of contaminants in food, including fish, which are considered by the Department of Health's committee on toxicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment. The results of these reports do not indicate that there is any risk to consumers as a result of eating fish.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect of sewage and industrial dumping on the level of phytoplankton, and implications for the ecosystem in the Irish sea.
§ Mr. CurryThere is no industrial waste dumping in the Irish sea. The Department's assessment is that disposals of sewage sludge in Liverpool bay do not affect levels of phytoplankton and in turn therefore there are no implications for the ecosystem of the Irish sea.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his assessment of the effect of industrial radioactive and chemical pollution and waste disposal on the quantity and safety of fish caught in the Irish sea.
§ Mr. CurryData on radioactive discharges to the Irish sea and in seafood from the Irish sea which are collected and analysed by my Department's scientists are published on an annual basis in the "Aquatic Environment Monitoring Report" series, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
In addition, the concentrations of a range of non-radioactive contaminants in fish caught around our shores including the Irish sea, are routinely monitored by my Department's scientists. The results of this monitoring are assessed by the interdepartmental steering group on food surveillance.
The data and assessments indicate that the levels of contamination monitored do not give any cause for concern from a human consumption standpoint and do not represent a significant risk to either marine life or its habitat.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the amount per year of radioactive waste placed on the Irish sea basin.
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§ Mr. CurryRadioactive waste is not disposed of by placing it on the Irish sea basin. Details of the radioactivity contained in low-level liquid radioactive waste discharged under authorisation from nuclear facilities bordering the Irish sea are published annually in the Ministry's "Aquatic Environment Monitoring Report" series, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
During 1988 the amount of radioactivity contained in discharges to the Irish sea was:
TBq Tritium 1,843 Other beta activity 192 Alpha 2.5