SEPA's Sea Lice Regulatory Framework
The science and evidence used to justify and inform SEPA’s Sea Lice Regulatory Framework are areas of concern for the aquaculture industry. Ministers requested CSA Marine to engage with the sector and report back on these concerns.
2. Sea lice and wild salmon interactions
9. The SLRF is driven by concerns about sea lice from fish farms affecting wild Atlantic salmon and sea trout, particularly during their post-smolt migration to sea. The scientific foundations of fisheries and aquaculture management principles are described in the UK Fisheries Act 2020 as applied to the development of the SLRF, detailed in Annex A.
10. In summary, scientific studies suggest that elevated sea lice levels near fish farms have potential to increase mortality rates in migrating wild salmon post-smolts. There are many pressures on wild salmon, by design the SLRF currently only considers sea lice. The relative importance of all pressures becomes relevant when discussing the proportionality of the measures contained within the SLRF; this is considered here.
Contact
Email: CSAMarine@gov.scot