Lord CHELWOODasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the Nature Conservancy Council were not consulted before a licence was granted for the experimental import of Coho salmon ova; which statutory and voluntary bodies have now criticised the decision on ecological grounds; and whether they will summarise the views they have expressed.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, SCOTTISH OFFICE (Lord Kirkhill)The Diseases of Fish Act 1937 under which the application for a licence to import salmon ova was submitted provides powers only for the purpose of 1065WA preventing the spreading of diseases among salmon and freshwater fish. The initial consultations referred to in the reply which I gave to the noble Lord's Question on 22nd February were with bodies most directly concerned with possible disease risks.
Subsequently, in the context of considering whether a need existed for wider powers extending to ecological effects of the import of exotic species of fish my right honourable friend invited the views of bodies having a responsibility for ecological and conservation matters, including those of the Nature Conservancy Council. The noble Lord will be aware of the announcement which I made on 10th May of the Government's support for the principle embodied in the Bill introduced by Lord Thurso to provide such powers.
The following bodies have objected on ecological grounds to Coho eggs being allowed to enter the country:
The Association of Scottish District Salmon Fishery Boards,
The Salmon Net Fishing Association of Scotland,
The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers,
The Salmon and Trout Association,
The Southern Water Authority,
The North West Water Authority,
The National Water Council,
The South West Water Authority,
The Severn Trent Water Authority,
The Welsh National Water Development Authority,
The Yorkshire Water Authority,
The Wessex Water Authority,
The Freshwater and Biological Association,
The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom,
The Scottish Salmon Angling Federation,
The Institute of Fisheries Management,
The Loch Roag District Salmon Fishery Board,
The Country Landowners Association,
The Water Space Amenity Commission,
The International Advisory Group of the Atlantic Salmon Research Trust
1066WALtd., and of the International Atlantic Salmon Foundation.
The burden of the objections made by these bodies was that imports of Coho salmon eggs could lead, mainly through escapes from fish farming installations, to the species becoming established in British waters. This the objectors maintained could prove detrimental to native salmon stocks with which they considered the Coho could compete for food and living space and on which it might constitute a dangerous predator.
The Nature Conservancy Council has commented that while there was no reason to object to the import of a range of species for research purposes the Council had severe reservations about the deliberate or accidental introduction of Coho salmon or any other species into the wild without the consequences for the native fauna and flora being fully researched.