That the Parliament notes with concern the recent reporting that destruction of wild salmon by fish farms could be worse than feared, due to parasites becoming resistant to the insecticide emamectin benzoate, also known as Slice; acknowledges reported new research by Inland Fisheries Ireland, based on almost 20 years of tagging wild salmon, showing that young wild salmon passing coastal fish farms are increasingly falling prey to lice spilling out of pens, concluding that “Results of the analysis provide clear evidence of significantly reduced return of adult salmon linked to salmon lice infestation from marine salmon farms" and that "Data also suggests... the effects of lice from local salmon farms on wild stocks are underestimated (in previous studies)”; notes reports that emamectin benzoate can damage human DNA, and that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has found it leaking from fish farm pens and harming sea life; recognises reports that, during a consultation in 2023, an immediate reduction in the use of emamectin benzoate was called for by bodies including the National Trust for Scotland and the Marine Conservation Society, but that Salmon Scotland urged the Scottish Ministers to delay fresh regulation and the Scottish Government decided in summer 2024 to allow the use of emamectin benzoate until 2028, and believes that, as a result of the latest research, which, it understands, suggests that the increasingly poor performance of emamectin benzoate is also now leaving wild salmon at risk of deadly lice infestations, the Scottish Government must immediately implement the new environmental quality standard on emamectin benzoate to protect wildlife and the reputation of Scottish salmon.
Supported by:
Paul Sweeney