Crown Estate in Lough Foyle discussions

The opaque relationship between the Irish Government, the British Government and The Crown Estate, regarding Lough Foyle, is causing escalating problems for communities living along its shore, as well as those engaged in aquaculture there.

Competing jurisdictional claims to Lough Foyle by the two Governments have been complicated by The Crown Estate's, officially and publicly unacknowledged, ownership of the lough's seabed and foreshore.

In the week which marked a century of partition in Ireland, the Inish Times can reveal, The Crown Estate is working with what it describes as “relevant stakeholders to inform discussions around this issue”.

This newspaper sought clarification from The Crown Estate regarding unlicensed trestles in Lough Foyle, following an interview with an oyster farmer it carried last month.

The Crown Estate was was also asked about its ownership of the seabed and the foreshore of Lough Foyle and whether it was part of any plans or discussions taking place with the Irish Government, British Government or authorities in the North, regarding a management plan for licensing oyster trestles or any other structures, in Lough Foyle.

A spokesperson for The Crown Estate said: “The location of the boundary between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland through Loughs Carlingford and Foyle remains an issue for the UK and Republic of Ireland Governments.

“In this context, The Crown Estate continues to work with relevant stakeholders, including the Loughs' Agency, to help inform discussions around this issue.”

The Crown Estate is a collection of lands and holdings in the territories of England, Wales and the North, belonging to the British monarch.

In a statement to Donegal Live, the Loughs' Agency confirmed: “There are high-level discussions between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade [Ireland] and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office [Britain], which relate to jurisdictional issues.

“The Agency is hopeful that progress can be made by both Governments to develop a management agreement for Lough Foyle, which would enable the Agency to regulate aquaculture.

“The Loughs' Agency was established following the 1998 Good Friday Agreement between the Irish and British Governments, to provide “effective conservation, management, promotion and development of the fisheries and marine resources of the Foyle and Carlingford areas”.

When contacted about The Crown Estate's statement, the Department of Agriculture, Marine and Food said: “The Department of Foreign Affairs is the Department responsible for the Jurisdictional Boundaries of the State.”

At the time of going to publication, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had failed to reply to the Inish Times enquiries about The Crown Estate's statement.

Donegal Live also understands several unlicensed oyster trestles were removed from Lough Foyle on Sunday afternoon and left on the shore.

Cllr Terry Crossan said he was opposed to the non-regulation of the oyster trestles [in Lough Foyle].

He added: “I would emphasise that Sinn Féin is not opposed to aquaculture per se.

“I would like to see aquaculture properly regulated and until that happens, there will be more and more trestles added on.

“I could not condone anyone interfering with trestles in any way because, even though they are not regulated, they are not illegal. They belong to somebody. They are obviously creating employment, so to interfere with them in that way is wrong, in my opinion. It is helping the overall situation of trying to eventually get the whole aquaculture situation regulated.

“If somebody approached them [trestle owners] and asked them to leave an opening so they could navigate a small craft out and in, and they have been refused rudely, I would condemn that also.

“If this behaviour continues, it is only going to escalate until it culminates in some sort of physical confrontation.”