§ Mr. Monroasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he is making towards finding a cure for the disease ulcerative dermal necrosis affcting salmon in English and Welsh rivers.
§ Mr. HoyThe main aim of present work, which is being carried out by the Department and also by outside bodies, is to determine the cause and nature of the disease. A fish pathology unit has been established in the Department, and new laboratory facilities for work on the disease are to be made available. Ministry scientists are working in collaboration with scientists carrying on parallel research in Scotland, Northern Ireland and in the Irish Republic, and regular meetings are being held to co-ordinate the work.
Even when the cause is known, it is unlikely that remedial measures could be applied to the water or to the stock in an infected river; but it may be possible to develop prophylactic or curative procedures capable of use in hatcheries or other places where fish are held in captivity.