MARINE HARVEST
The group was established in September 2009 by the Scottish Government following the publication of ‘A Fresh Start’ the strategic frame- work for Scottish aquaculture. The major issues raised by this document formed the basis for six working groups, including forums for improved systems for licensing aquaculture developments, shellfish, healthier fish and shellfish, better mar- keting and improved image, improved access to finance and the ICWG. The remit of the groups was to address the key issues and challenges facing the Scottish industry.
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All six forums were identified as being high priority, but escape issues are a particularly emotive topic. And, while it has long been one of the major concerns of the industry, and one that the Government has always focused on, A Fresh Start really crystalised the issue and strengthened our determination to eliminate escapes altogether. While this cannot neces- sarily be done overnight and is likely to be an ongoing process, it is clearly one of our highest priorities to resolve.
FF: Who takes part in the group and how was its content decided?
The group is made up of a wide range of organisations and includes representatives of Marine Scotland, the Marine Conservation Society, wild fish interests, SNH, the British Trout Association, SSPO, Scottish Sea Farms, Marine Harvest, W & J Knox, Gael Force, Fu- sion Marine, the Scottish Salmon Company, the Telford Institute, SAMS, Dawnfresh, LANTRA and Sunderland Marine.
The membership of the group was agreed by the Government and myself and, because of the complexity of the issues at stake, we were keen to include a good mix of skills and experience. As a result this line up represents a diverse range of interests – from salmon producers to wild fish interests, from equipment suppliers to educational establishments, from scientific research institutes to insurance agencies and training organisations.
FF: Does the disparate nature of the group help or hinder the process?
Although the group offers many different per- spectives on the issue there is a good amount of common ground. Firstly, because every member of the group brings a wealth of experience to the table and secondly – and most importantly – we all share a common goal: the elimination of escapes.
FF: How much time has been spent in session so far? We’ve had four main meetings since the group was formed 18 months ago. The first meeting defined the precise remit of the group, and the most important issues surrounding contain- ment were identified. Over 90 suggestions were brought up in this meeting and these were then divided into the following categories: skills, closed containment, freshwater, mitigation of
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F: Why and when was the ICWG formed?
CONTAINMENT SPECIAL
escapes, equipment, audits, predators and new developments. Each of these categories then formed a short-life sub-group, peopled by the relevant parties from within the larger ICWG. It was up to these sub-groups to flesh out the main issues and prioritise those which needed to be tackled the most urgently, enabling the ICWG to focus on these.
FF: What has been achieved to date? The key elements that need to be tackled have now been identified, so the ICWG is cur- rently concentrating on drawing up a technical standard for the salmon and trout industries in Scotland, which will safely satisfy these criteria. It will do this by defining the minimum require- ments in terms of equipment used, which must be fulfilled by anyone who wishes to farm salm- on and trout in Scottish waters. These standards will not be universal, however, as they will be very much dependant on the location of each site and the risks faced on a local scale.
ABOVE: STEVE BRACKEN
www.fishfarmer-magazine.com
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