§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fish farms producing rainbow and brown trout there are in England and Wales; and if he will specify the numbers in each region.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe number of fish farms in England and Wales known to my Department is 520, distributed by water authority areas as follows:
Anglian 61 Northumbrian 6 North West 46 Severn/Trent 46 Southern 73 South West 46 Thames 57 Wessex 96 Yorkshire 53 Welsh 36 520 The great majority stock rainbow trout, brown trout or both species.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in how many fish farms myxosoma cerebralis has been discovered; on what date it was first discovered; what advice was given for its eradication; how successful this eradication policy has been; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorI refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 26 October 1983.
Myxosoma cerebralis was first positively identified in fish taken from waters in England and Wales on 25 March 1981.
The advice given regarding eradication varies according to the management system. On some sites the risk of infection may be satisfactorily eliminated simply by the removal of all of the infected fish. On other sites where the parasite could complete its life-cycle, in addition to the removal of fish disinfection would be advised where practicable.
353WWhen followed this advice is likely to result in the eradication of the disease from a fish farm.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to eliminate myxosoma cerebralis from all fish farms subject to a notifiable disease order; whether a special advice unit has been established to assist fish farmers in its eradication; and whether there is any danger of trout farm production being cut to the detriment of trout for the table and supply of stillwater lakes for the next trout fishing season.
§ Mr. MacGregorIt is for the individual fish farmer to decide whether to attempt to eliminate myxosoma cerebralis from his site. I have not considered it appropriate to establish a special unit to assist fish farmers in eradicating the disease but advice may be obtained from my fish disease laboratory at Weymouth. I am not aware of any information which would suggest that the disease is likely to give rise to a shortage in the supply of trout for the table or for stocking stillwater lakes for the next trout fishing season.