Welcoming the agreement, Scottish Minister for Environment Michael Russell said:

"The signing of the Skye agreement marks a significant step towards bringing together profitable sectors of the salmon industry to co-exist in a sustainable manner. It aims to ensure healthy stocks of wild fish and farmed fish are maintained, help minimise escapes of farmed salmon and support a vibrant aquaculture industry."

He said the Tripartite Working Group programme has been hugely successful in brokering Area Management Agreements between local aquaculture and wild fisheries interests throughout the west coast of Scotland and the Western Isles.

Meanwhile, Sid Patten, Chief Executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers' Organisation, said: “This is the latest and largest of all of the Area Management Agreements to be signed in Scotland. It is a further demonstration of the salmon farming industry’s commitment to working with our wild fish colleagues to help to protect the health of wild and farmed salmon for our long-term, mutual benefit. It will also help to build better understanding amongst the various users of the marine environment.”

The Skye AMA covers its 14 Salmon Rivers and its entire marine coastline including the smaller islands of Scalpay, Raasay, Rona, Soay, Canna, Rum, Eigg and Muck.

Signatories to the Skye AMA are the fish farming companies Marine Harvest, Pan Fish and Scot Trout with wild fish interests represented by the Skye District Salmon Fishery Board and the West Highland Fisheries Company Ltd.

The purpose of the Tripartite Working Group (TWG) is to address problems common to salmon farming and wild salmon fisheries and to seek solutions for ensuring the maintenance of a healthy stock of wild fish and farmed fish, seeking solutions to minimise escapes of farmed salmon whilst at the same time promoting a sustainable aquaculture industry.

The Scottish Government is the principle sponsor of the TWG providing £320,000 per year until end 2007/08. The Crown Estate and Highlands and Islands Enterprise each contribute £20,000 per year to support TWG development work on Skye.

The members of the Tripartite Working Group are the Scottish Government, Fisheries Research Services, SNH, SEPA, Association of Salmon Fishery Boards, Rivers and Fisheries Trusts Scotland, Scottish Anglers National Association, Atlantic Salmon Trust and Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation.

The Group was established in 1999 against a background of declining wild salmon stocks and in recognition of the importance of wild fisheries and the aquaculture industry to rural economies. A Report and Concordat was published in July 2000.

AMA's are being developed between local industry and wild fisheries interests across the west coast and Western Isles. These cover a range of objectives, including:

* Single year class management and synchronised production/fallowing cycles

* Synchronised lice treatments;

* Zero ovigerous salmon lice, particularly during the critical wild smolt migration period (February to June);

* Vaccination of smolts against furunculosis;

* Preparation of containment and contingency plans to minimise escapes;

* Adherence to industry Codes of Practice;

* Regular monitoring and information exchange between AMA partners;

* Preparation of catchment management plans;

* Adherence to disease control mechanisms in wild fisheries, and;

* Possibility of augmenting with biological control using wrasse cleaner fish.

To date sixteen agreements have been implemented as follows:

* Linnhe/Lorn/Etive/Sound of Mull/Sunart

* Loch Nevis

* Loch Fyne

* West Mull

* Loch Torridon

* Lochs Carron/Kishorn

* West Loch Tarbert

* East Lewis/Harris

* Loch Laxford

* Loch Eriboll

* Loch Ewe

* Kyles of Bute

* Lochs Duich/Alsh

* Lower Lorne

* Loch Roag

* Skye (signed October 9 2007).

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

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