HL Deb 30 July 1998 vol 592 cc246-8WA
Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What actions they are taking on fish farm sites in the same area as sites which have had an attack of infectious salmon anaemia. [HL2949]

Lord Sewel

Farms sharing the same water catchment or coastal area as those where the presence of infectious salmon anaemia has been confirmed are subject to similar controls which require approval to:

  • bring on to or remove from the farm any fish, whether alive or dead, eggs or gametes;
  • dispose of any dead fish or their offal except under the supervision of the official service;
  • bring on to or take from the farm any equipment, material or substance liable to transmit disease;
  • enter on to or exit from the farm;
  • bring a vehicle on to or take a vehicle from the farm.

Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have banned the movement of live salmon from any fish farm sites as a precaution against the spread of infectious salmon anaemia; and if so, how many sites have been affected by the ban. [HL2950]

Lord Sewel

The controls placed on fish farms in the areas affected by Infectious Salmon Anaemia require official approval for any proposed movements of live fish. To date no movements have been banned.

All movements of live salmon from fish farms sharing the water catchment or coastal area or from farms within the wider coastal area subject to a higher level of monitoring require departmental approval. There are 106 farms affected by this requirement.

Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How long they intend a site which has had an outbreak of Infectious Salmon Anaemia to remain fallow before new smolts are introduced. [HL2987]

Lord Sewel

No final decision has been taken yet, but we are considering a requirement to fallow for a period of not less than six months following clearance and disinfection of all sites in a water catchment or coastal area where infectious salmon anaemia is found to be present.

Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in the light of the outbreaks of infectious salmon anaemia, they intend to ban the import into Scotland of live salmon at any stage in their life cycle; and [HL2986]

Whether they intend to ban the import of salmonid parr and smolt in order to prevent the spread of Gyrodactylus salaries into the salmonid population in the United Kingdom. [HL2989]

Lord Sewel

The importation into Great Britain of live salmonid fish other than from Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland is prohibited. Salmonid eggs may be imported from certain parts of the EU because they have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Commission that they are free from serious fish diseases.

Consignments of eggs must be certified as having been thoroughly disinfected. Salmonid eggs may be imported from outwith the EU under licence, but only when they come from a source with equivalent fish health status. There are no plans to change these arrangements in the light of the outbreak of infectious salmon anaemia.

In order to prevent the spread of Gyrodactylus salaris within the European Community, European fish health requirements will be strengthened by the introduction of a system of health certification for movements of fish into areas which are free from the disease. In the meantime Great Britain has specific safeguard measures in place to prevent the introduction of Gyrodactylus salaris from other areas.