Chamber and committees

Have you not done so recently?

There have been calls to significantly increase the available sanctions on farms when escapes happen. Would such sanctions be justified if an escape happened due to a lack of potential mitigation measures being taken?

You said that all farms are managing their sea lice numbers well. Are any in particular failing to reduce the number?

It is great to hear that farms are doing well and that sea lice numbers are going down. It is a different story from what others have been telling us over the past couple of weeks. Do you have a good grasp on why that might be and why others seem to have a different view of sea lice in Scotland?

However, the treatment of sea lice does impact the salmon and the environment on occasion.

Are some farms managing to reduce sea lice numbers better than others?

Given the incidence of no counts and the differences in data collection, do you feel that the data we have is reliable enough for us to be able to say for sure that we understand what the situation is with sea lice in Scotland?

If the numbers were declared?

Yes. So, what—if any—are the challenges that you face in ensuring robust enforcement?

Last session, the committee did not feel that there was enough evidence to pursue certain other recommended routes. Some of the recommendations were about addressing the data and analysis gaps, particularly around the discharge of medicines and chemicals into the natural environment. Do you think that those gaps have been addressed? Have they been addressed to the extent that we can be confident about the environmental impact of fish farms?