Diseases of Fish Act 1983 (Hansard, 27 February 1984)

§ Mr. MacGregor

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and my noble Friend the Minister of State, Scottish Office, and I have now completed discussions with the National Farmers Unions about the use of the new powers contained in the 1983 Act. In the light of these discussions, we propose to make an order bringing the Act into force with effect from the end of March. Regulations to revise the form of, or procedure for the publication of, certain notices and orders made under the Diseases of Fish Acts will be made at the same time.

We intend to create a register of fish farms as soon as practicable and the NFU will be consulted at an early date as to how this might be done. The fish diseases ulcerative dermal necrosis (UDN) and columnaris are to be deleted from the list of those notifiable in terms of the Diseases of Fish Acts, and the diseases furunculosis and infectious dropsy of cyprinids will be replaced respectively by the more restrictive categories furunculosis of salmon and spring viraemia of carp (SVC).

In the light of our discussions, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I also propose to make certain changes straightaway in the extent to which fish farms in England and Wales are subject to movement controls when whirling disease or infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is found to be present in stocks. We have instructed our officials to continue to monitor the occurrence of whirling disease in England and Wales, and fish farms found to be infected will be designated by order. However, since the disease can be contained by husbandry practices and presents no risks to stocks of wild fish, we shall no longer control the movement of fish or eggs from such designated sites. It will be for fish farmers and others who buy live fish and eggs to consider whether to deal with such sites.

As regards IPN, we propose to continue to monitor trout farms which have hatcheries, and to designate by order those where the disease is found. We do not intend to impose movement restrictions in respect of live trout and their eggs from sites so designated: it will be for buyers of eggs or young fish, if they so wish, to take account of the fact that IPN has been found in a particular site. However, since the economic effects of IPN can be more significant in regard to farmed salmon, all salmon farms in England and Wales, including hatcheries and sea cages, will be subject to monitoring for IPN. When the disease is found, the site will be designated by order and no movements of live fish or eggs of fish from the site will be permitted unless previously authorised in writing.

After the most thorough consideration of all the evidence available, including the advice we received in response to the consultation papers issued in 1981, I believe the policies outlined in this statement provide an appropriate response to the various diseases involved. In the past, our efforts to control fish diseases have benefited from the co-operation of fish farmers, water authorities and those interested generally in our salmon and freshwater fisheries. With the implementation of the 1983 Act, and this revision of fish disease policies, we look forward to improved co-operation. To this end, our officials are writing to representatives of interested parties and to the fish farmers directly affected to explain the details of the application of the new policies.