Rural Development Committee, 12 Feb 2002

Meeting date: Tuesday, February 12, 2002

Official Report 223KB pdf

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Sea Cage Fish Farming

Agenda item 6 is sea cage fish farming. Members have received a paper outlining the progress that has been made by the Transport and the Environment Committee, which is due to publish a report on stage 1 of its inquiry in March. I note that it has agreed a remit and issued a call for evidence for stage 2 of the inquiry, which will focus on more strategic issues. That reflects the fact that the Executive is developing a strategic framework for aquaculture, which should be available by the summer. Members will note that the paper addresses the matters that we raised when we last considered the report. Does any member wish to comment? John Farquhar Munro is our reporter on the subject.

Members have the paper, which gives a report on the activities that have taken place since our last discussion on the matter. The Transport and the Environment Committee has taken evidence and is continuing to do so. Some time ago, our suggestion to appoint a co-ordinator to collate all the information and make a final presentation was agreed by the Transport and the Environment Committee. The committee is shortlisting individuals for the post, but I am not aware that it has been filled yet. We wait with bated breath.

The paper is self-explanatory and notes the progress that has been made. It is important that we agree that I should continue to be the reporter.

Hear, hear.

We are all desperate to get to that item. I do not think that the committee would disagree. You are re-appointed, John. Many congratulations.

Sea cage fish farming is a subject on which I receive an increasing amount of mail. I do not know whether other members do. If we are to question the minister further on the matter, the right time to do so would appear to be when the Executive has published its draft strategy. We will, no doubt, receive a communication at that time. I suggest that we put that meeting firmly on the agenda. There is a great deal of concern out there—and it is growing. Is that agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

Do we have any idea when that meeting might take place?

I understand that the Executive hopes to finalise the strategy by the summer, but it may be possible to have a draft strategy before then.

Before the summer?

Yes.

I want to clarify another point for Mr Munro. I understand that tenders have just been sent out for the research contract and that the Transport and the Environment Committee hopes to make an appointment within the next 10 days.

I hope that we receive the strategy in enough time to enable us to read and digest it before we discuss it at the committee. That is not what happened with the agricultural strategy document, which we had to read on the hoof—if you will pardon the pun.

That point was well made—pun and all.

On that note, are members content to move on?

Members indicated agreement.

I do not want to downplay the importance of sea cage fish farming—I think that it will be a major issue over the next couple of years. However, I think that the right time to discuss it is when we respond to the publication of the Executive's strategy.