§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect EU directive 91/87 has had on the implementation of the Diseases of Fish Act 1983, with respect to fish farms in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. JackThe fish health directive 91/67/EEC came into force on 1 January 1993. It provides for measures, 53W applicable throughout the Community, to safeguard zones of proven high fish health status within the context of the single market. Great Britain and Northern Ireland have secured such approved zone status in respect of the most serious fish diseases and accordingly we are able to restrict introductions of fish, particularly the salmonid species, from other parts of the Community on the basis of the disease risks which they might pose. We are also seeking additional guarantees in respect of trade in species susceptible to some of the less serious fish diseases.
We have thus carried forward in the EC context the United Kingdom's longstanding disease controls embodied in the Diseases of Fish Acts of 1937 and 1983, with the controls largely unchanged. The Community measures will be supplemented later this year by new arrangements which member states must apply in the event of an outbreak of serious fish diseases. Overall, we are confident that these measures, taken together, will afford sound protection to our farmed and wild fish stocks and provide United Kingdom producers with new trade opportunities.