§ Mr. Colvinasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he has any plans to invoke section 29 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 regarding the granting of licences for fish rearing; and if he will make a statement;
484W(2) if he has any plans to seek to extend his powers under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 to permit him to exercise control over fish farms; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he will introduce legislation to provide a statutory framework for the regulation of the establishment and running of fish farms; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerThere is a statutory framework for the regulation of the establishment and running of fish farms. The main elements are contained in the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, the Water Resources Act 1963, the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and the Diseases of Fish Acts 1937 and 1983. The Government have already announced that they intend to add to these controls by extending the requirement for water abstraction licensing by water authorities to fish farms producing fish for the table. We have no plans to extend powers of control over fish farms under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, nor to use the provisions of section 29 of that Act.