§ Lord Mason of Barnsleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What reports they have received of any outbreaks of fish diseases in Scottish salmon fish farms, and whether any pollution of Scottish rivers and lochs has taken place as a result.
§ Lord Sanderson of BowdenUnder the diseases of fish legislation the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland is informed of outbreaks of notifiable diseases at fish farms and carries out diagnostic investigations of suspected disease when requested to do so.
The DAFS Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen carried out 345 diagnostic investigations in 1988 and 128 diagnostic investigations so far in 1989. In 25 cases in 1988 and 7 cases so far in 1989, Designated Area Orders were made requiring any dead fish from the designated salmon farms or areas to be disposed of within 48 hours by incineration or, if this is not possible, by burial with quicklime.
In 1988 and 1989 so far, there has been one report of alleged pollution arising from disposal of farmed fish which had died from disease. Leakage was reported from a pit filled with salmon which had died from furunculosis at a farm in Loch Sunart in August 1988. This incident was investigated by the Highland River Purification Board.
Discharge consents for fish farms, and general control of pollution in rivers and lochs in Scotland, are the responsibility of river purification authorities.