Fish farming is still causing damage to the marine environment and has a long way to go before it can be described as sustainable, Greens have said.

Robin Harper MSP, Green co-convener and speaker on marine environment, said, “We have a long way to go before we have sustainability in aquaculture. Mass escapes – perhaps a quarter of a million this year - sea lice, inappropriately sited farms, and the ever present risk of pollution from veterinary medicines and the spread of diseases through over-stocking. It all adds up to an unsustainable picture for our marine environment.

“Scotland’s rivers are losing the salmon and sea trout for which they have been renowned for centuries. Wild salmon and sea trout catches remain at historically low levels in the West (1), while on the East coast, where there are no salmon farms, conditions are not nearly so bad.”

Mr Harper made his comments in a Scottish Parliament debate.

“The Executive’s record so far is one of hand-wringing, sitting on thumbs, ineffectiveness. It has indeed been lots of talk and little action. No action on locational guidelines, little action on environmental impact assessment, little action on diversifying medical treatments, little action on fish escapes. Throughout this inaction, our precious wild salmon and sea trout stocks are damaged year on year," he continued.

*www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish European Fish Trader, Fishing Monthly, Fish Farming Today, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Fishermens’ Federation Diary, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

Scottish Parliament, aquaculture, Robin Harper, fish farming, Marine Act

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