IFI Addresses EU parliament on Invasive Alien Species

News Release March 7th, 2013

Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Dr Joe Caffrey presented Ireland’s position on the threat of Invasive Alien Species at a high-level debate at the European Parliament in Brussels on 21st February 2013. Discussions centred on the issue of invasive alien species in Europe and the development of an EU policy instrument to tackle the threats.

The debate, entitled ’Biodiversity’s Ticking Time Bomb: Understanding and Addressing the Problem of Invasive Species in Europe’ was organised via the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Birdlife, with the support of the European Habitats Forum.

Dr Caffrey was one of nine speakers who presented to the large gathering where he addressed the theme: ‘The challenges and opportunities of Member States in implementing EU legal measures: the example of Ireland’.

The talks were followed by a highly interactive panel discussion during which the pros and cons of a dedicated EU legislative instrument on invasive alien species were debated. The results of EU deliberations on this theme will emerge in the coming months when a consultation document will be released.

In the meantime, IFI and EIFAAC will host the FINS (Freshwater Invasives – Networking for Strategy) conference in Galway on April 9th to 11th which will address key topics relating to freshwater invasive species and harmful aquatic pathogens. The conference is attracting a large international audience of policy makers in this area. The primary objective of the conference is to provide a forum where international scientists, policy makers and stakeholders will address designated themes with a view to informing management and policy development in this increasingly important area.

Minister Fergus O Dowd, welcoming the conference emphasised, “Invasive species cause some €12.5 billion worth of damage each year in the European Union alone and are a serious threat to native biodiversity across the continent. IFI are keenly aware of the threat to our own natural resources particularly to our economy, health and recreational activities”.

“I want to congratulate IFI on the lead it has taken in its scientific, practical and proactive approach to this issue, working with stakeholders on the front line to ensure that biosecurity awareness is paramount. They are also bringing Ireland’s first- hand experience to Europe and adding to the positive debate on an EU wide cooperative framework to safeguard our natural resources through legislation and knowledge transfer.”, he added.
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Media enquiries:

Suzanne Campion,
Head of Business Development,
Inland Fisheries Ireland,
Anglesea Street, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

Tel: 052 6180055 Fax: 052 612397
Email: suzanne.campion@fisheriesireland.ie Website: www.fisheriesireland.ie

Notes to Editor

Inland Fisheries Ireland is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and was established under the Fisheries Act on 1st July 2010. Its principal function is the protection and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. IFI promotes, supports, facilitates and advises the Minister on, the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling. It also develops and advises the Minister on policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries

Full details of ’Biodiversity’s Ticking Time Bomb: Understanding and Addressing the Problem of Invasive Species in Europe’are available on: http://iucn.org/about/union/secretariat/offices/europe/?12527/Invasive-alien-species-The-biodiversity-time-bomb-is-ticking

The list of high profile speakers included:

MEP Pavel Poc, Member of Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, European Parliament
Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Janez PotoÄnik, Commissioner for the Environment, European Commission
Dr Piero Genovesi, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) and Chair of IUCN SSC Specialist Group on Invasive Alien Species
Patrick ten Brink, Senior Fellow, Head of Brussels office and Environmental Economics Programme, Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP)
Pia Bucella, Director of Nature Unit, DG Environment, European Commission
Ladislav Miko, Deputy Director General, DG Health & Consumers, European Commission
Dr Paul Walton, Head of Habitats and Species, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), BirdLife Europe, European Habitats Forum (EHF).

FINS Conference Details are available on : http://finsconference.ie/programme/

EIFAAC: European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Committee. For information go to http://www.fao.org/fishery/rfb/eifaac/en .