THE year-old order banning fishing within two kilometres of Dounreay's outfall pipe will stay in force as long as unexplained radioactive particles keep appearing on the Dounreay foreshore and on the seabed, writes David Ross, Highland Correspondent.
Last month Dounreay's operators, the UK Atomic Energy Authority, confirmed that 89 new radioactive particles had been found on the seabed since the end of September, with one discovered 1km off shore, the furthest out yet.
Added to those found last year, the 180 already found on the foreshore, and the three discovered at Sandside Bay two miles away, almost 300 particles had been discovered since off-site monitoring began in 1984.
The continuation of the ban was announced yesterday by Scottish Health Minister Sam Galbraith. He said he had received the final report from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, which had been reviewing the situation.
Sepa had originally recommended comprehensive restrictions on the taking, landing, and use of all species of fish and shellfish in the 2km area, and the order came into force in October last year.
Mr Galbraith said yesterday that Sepa's report had now been completed and that the Scottish Office had noted its recommendations. These were that the primary aim should be to restore the affected areas to a clean pristine condition, and that as far as possible, Sepa should insist that the UK Atomic Energy Authority help to quantify urgently the risks involved as a result of the irradiated nuclear fuel fragments in the environment.
In the meantime Sepa's advice to the Scottish Office was that the 2km fishing ban should stay.
Mr Galbraith said: ''The ultimate aim should be to remove the restrictions as soon as possible and to that end, greater and speedier effort should be made by the UKAEA to find and quantify the extent of contamination in the local marine environment, using the best available methodology and technology.
''Accordingly, the 2km fishing restrictions will remain in force. Clearly these restrictions cannot be lifted until UKAEA find and quantify the extent of contamination in the local marine environment, and this work should proceed as a matter of urgency.
''I have asked Sepa to ensure that any particles finding their way to the public beach at Sandside are promptly detected and removed.''
Last night Mr Mike Townsley of Greenpeace International, said: ''Obviously the continuation of the ban is good news, and it is also welcome that the authorities are now recognising that this plant is haemorrhaging radioactive particles.
''But unfortunately the fish don't recognise a 2km limit, so the problem is not being contained. However welcome this is, it will be like putting a sticking plaster on a broken leg if the Government goes ahead and allows Dounreay to start reprocessing again some time in the future.''
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