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The Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2007 requires Aquaculture Production Businesses to demonstrate that satisfactory measures are in place for the containment of fish, and the prevention of escape of fish. Current Scottish Government policy for demonstrating that satisfactory measures are in place are the requirements of the Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture and the requirements of The Fish Farming Businesses (Record Keeping) (Scotland) Order 2008.

Adherence to the Code of Good Practice is monitored and enforced through the Scottish Government Fish Health Inspectorate’s risk-based inspection regime. Where satisfactory measures are not in place, Scottish Ministers may serve an enforcement notice. Failure to comply with an enforcement notice may result in a fine.

The Scottish Government remains committed to working with the sector to reduce the risk of escapes from fish farms, including through the revision and publication of the Technical Standard for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture, and the introduction of penalties where escape events occur with the ultimate aim of redistributing this money to support wild salmonid conservation and research.

In 2019 the Scottish Government strengthened its regulation of sea lice on fish farms by reducing the levels of sea lice per fish at which the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) increases monitoring of sea lice on a farm, or takes enforcement action. The Fish Farming Businesses (Reporting) (Scotland) Order 2020 introduced, for the first time, mandatory obligations on production businesses to report average sea lice numbers per fish on a weekly basis. This better supports the Fish Health Inspectorate’s assessment of whether satisfactory measures for the prevention, control or reduction of sea lice are in place. The data is published one week in arrears to promote transparency.

Mortality reporting was introduced in 2015 and I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24419 on 22 January 2024. From 2020 the FHI have altered their operational practice in relation to risk based surveillance and fish farm inspections, whereby inspectors will review documentation remotely in advance of onsite inspections, enabling inspectors to spend more time inspecting fish and farm operation.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Our commitment of up to £500 million strategic investment over the next five years, with investment of £67 million in the next financial year, will allow the Scottish Government to capitalise on offshore wind supply chain opportunities across the country.

This commercial and grant investment will help stimulate and support private investment in the infrastructure and manufacturing facilities critical to the growth of our world-leading offshore wind sector, underlining our absolute determination to truly maximise the economic opportunities and benefits from our offshore wind potential.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with the UK Government on the planned delivery for their Advanced Manufacturing Plan which outlines £960 million for a Green Industries Growth Accelerator focused on expanding manufacturing capacity across the country.

Our National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) also sets out our ambition for Scotland to continue to take global leadership in the design, development and operationalisation within the renewables sector.

Our Making Scotland’s Future (MSF) programme helps ensure a coherent and focused approach to the provision of support to the manufacturing sector.

Centred within the MSF lies the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland which represents investment of £75 million from the Scottish Government and its agencies to which drives an industry-led research and development group with the mission to make Scotland a global leader in advanced, sustainable manufacturing.

Improving fish health, reducing mortality to lowest possible levels, and ensuring satisfactory measures are in place for the prevention, control or reduction of sea lice is the responsibility of aquaculture production businesses. The Fish Health Inspectorate’s main objective is to prevent the introduction and spread of listed and emerging fish and shellfish diseases in Scotland. This is achieved by statutory inspection and sampling programmes, providing advice and implementing regulatory functions in accordance with the relevant animal health regulations. Details of strengthened regulation of sea lice on fish farms introduced by the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate is provided in the response to S6W-24417 on‎ 22 January 2024.

Furthermore, over the time period the Scottish Government has also taken a collaborative approach to working with the sector, regulators, fish vets and innovation centres to better understand and address key health and welfare issues.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) does not have responsibility for the regulation of fish health. In October 2021 the Scottish Government identified SEPA as the lead body responsible for managing the risk to wild salmonids from sea lice from marine finfish farms. SEPA has subsequently developed a risk based framework for regulating sea lice emissions from fish farms which will be implemented from 1 February 2024.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The Scottish Government and its relevant agencies proactively consider the potential impacts of any introduction of, or changes to, regulatory controls in place to prevent damage to the marine environment. When a new regulatory control is being considered for the purpose of maintaining the environment, consultation is the standard approach applied by the relevant body prior to explore all potential impacts, including those relating to fish health. Recent examples include consultation by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) throughout its development of the forthcoming spatial framework for managing interactions between sea lice from marine fish farm developments and wild Atlantic salmon, SEPA published its response to its most recent consultation on 7 December 2023. In addition, the Scottish Government undertook consultation on the implementation of the new Environmental Quality Standard for Emamectin Benzoate. This consultation closed on 24 July 2023 and responses are being carefully considered.

Research into sea-lice infestation dynamics is an ongoing area of interest for the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate. Most notably, in 2015 we initiated a ten-year programme of research to investigate any potential risk to wild salmon from sea lice in the Scottish coastal environment titled ‘The interactions and effects of sea lice on wild salmon’ (project number FW0050).

As reflected in the Bute House Agreement, we remain committed to a programme of work to better protect wildlife and the environment, and ensure aquaculture in Scotland is sustainable, diverse, competitive and economically viable.

We have made significant progress on the recommendations of the 2017-18 Parliamentary Inquiries into Salmon Farming in Scotland. Last year I was pleased to provide an update to the Scottish Parliament: Salmon Farming in Scotland 3 May 2023 | Scottish Parliament Website.

Subsequently, in July 2023 we published the Scottish Government’s Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture which sets out our aspirations for the development of a sector, operating within environmental limits, and which recognises the considerable social and economic benefits it delivers.

A Consenting Task Group has been working to identify, pilot and review new measures to streamline the administration of the fish farm consenting processes, progressing key recommendations of the independent review of the regulatory framework for Scottish aquaculture.

In response to the Salmon Interactions Working Group report, the Scottish Government identified that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) would become the lead regulator responsible for managing sea lice and the interactions between wild and farmed fish. SEPA has developed and consulted on a new sea lice risk assessment framework that will be implemented from 1 February 2024.

The finfish farming sector operates under robust regulations covering environmental impact and fish health. The Scottish Government is committed to streamlining the aquaculture regulatory framework, whilst maintaining high standards, to ensure regulation is as efficient and effective as it can be. We are committed to a broad programme of work to support the sustainability of fish farming and improvements to its underpinning regulatory system, following the recommendations made in the independent review of the aquaculture regulatory process in Scotland , published by Professor Russel Griggs on 10 February 2022

I provided a written update to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 3 May 2023 setting out the progress made to support the sustainability of fish farming, and its underpinning regulatory system, since the inquiry into salmon farming in Scotland. I subsequently updated the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee at their session on salmon farming on 10 May 2023.

I recognise that there is more to do. Following the independent review of the aquaculture regulatory process, I have worked with the Scottish Aquaculture Council to deliver a new Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture in Scotland, which sets out our ambitions for the sector to 2045. The Vision includes an overarching aim that aquaculture is underpinned by an effective and efficient regulatory framework informed by the best available science and evidence.

I have also established the Consenting Task Group, which has been working to identify, pilot and review new measures to streamline the administration of the fish farm consenting processes and progressing key recommendations of the review.

I do not recognise this characterisation of the relationship among the parties with an interest in aquaculture and it is an unhelpful misrepresentation of the many ways in which key partners, including government, interact. However, there are always ways in which governments should consider generally how to improve, augment and embed constructive relationships. Accordingly, in June 2022 I established and chair the Scottish Aquaculture Council. The Council has met on four occasions to date and brings together senior representation from the aquaculture sector, wider government, regulators and other key organisations with a remit to collaborate and advise Scottish Ministers in helping deliver the Government’s aspirations for the sector.

This forum is enabling constructive discussions around key developments. Advice provided by the Council has already helped inform the development of the content and approach of our Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture. The Consenting Task Group is enabling finfish sector, regulators and other stakeholders to work together, resulting in a pilot proposal for a new pre-application fish farm consenting process.

The Advisory Panel has served as a forum for interested parties to share their thoughts on, and priorities for, the refinement and improvement of the regulatory framework for marine finfish farms that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) implemented in June 2019.

The associated agenda, minutes and terms of reference for the Finfish Aquaculture Advisory Panel can be accessed on SEPA’s website at: Finfish Aquaculture Advisory Panel | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) .