Licenses granted for oyster farms at Ballyness

 
 
The Department of Agriculture and the Marine has granted 14 of the 18 licences for shellfish farming at Ballyness Bay near Falcarragh.
The controversial applications for aquaculture and foreshore licences have been strongly opposed by a campaign group.
Ballyness Bay is a special area of conservation featuring mudflats, sandflats and dunes.
The licences are for the cultivation of Pacific Oysters and clams using trays and trestles.
The campaign group Save Ballyness Bay has opposed the granting of licences saying it has the potential to cause the destruction of the ecosystem, blight the landscape and damage the local tourism industry.
More than 5,000 have signed a petition opposing the plans while over 700 people attended a public meeting earlier this year in Falcarragh voicing their concerns.
The Shellfish Industry says its worth 12 million euro a year to Donegal’s economy, providing hundreds of full and part time jobs to the local community.
They argue that the work will not involve any artificial feeding or veterinary input.