§ Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknishasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many fish farming sites have notified an outbreak of infectious salmon anaemia. [HL2948]
§ Lord SewelThe presence of infectious salmon anaemia has been confirmed on eight sites, three in Loch Creran, two in Loch Nevis, two in Loch Linnhe and one in Loch Snizort.
In two instances the fish farm operator notified the Scottish Office that he suspected the disease; in all 55WA other cases it has been confirmed as a result of official surveillance and laboratory testing.
§ Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknishasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have established the source of infectious salmon anaemia; and, if so, what is the source so identified. [HL2951]
§ Lord SewelThe source has not yet been identified. An investigation, as required by European disease control legislation, is under way.
§ Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknishasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there is any evidence that infectious salmon anaemia can spread from farmed salmon to wild salmon. [HL2988]
§ Lord SewelWild salmon populations are potentially susceptible to infectious salmon anaemia in the same way as farmed salmon; the disease may therefore be transmitted in either direction.
There are no known cases of infectious salmon anaemia in wild salmon. However, the effects of diseases on wild populations are difficult to determine because unhealthy fish are normally rapidly removed by predation. There is no experimental evidence that sea trout can carry the ISA virus without being affected by the disease and that sea trout carriers can infect salmon.