§ Lord Mason of Barnsleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will list the salmon fish farms and their locations in Scotland and the estimated annual production.
§ Lord Sanderson of BowdenThere are currently 225 registered salmon farming businesses in Scotland, comprising a total of 433 sites. There are 279 seawater salmon producing sites and 154 freshwater salmon hatcheries and rearing sites. Total salmon production in 1988 was estimated at 17,951 tonnes.
Details of individual sites are obtained by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland on registration for disease control purposes required under the Registration of Fish Farming and Shellfish Farming Businesses Order 1985 (SI No 1391). This order was made under Section 7 of the Diseases of Fish Act 1983, and Section 9(1)(a) of that Act does not allow disclosure of information on any one person or business obtained in pursuance of Section 7 except with the written consent of the person by whom the information was provided, or for criminal proceedings.