Question reference: S6W-26890
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
- Date lodged: 17 April 2024
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Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 25 April 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work is being done to reduce any reliance the salmon farm industry has on new technological measures to mitigate against reported rising fish mortalities, in light of the finding in the article published in Nature on 7 March 2024 that the "risks [of mass mortality events] are often introduced [by human cause] and can increase in frequency and scale when dependent on technology and infrastructure to produce in environments not naturally conducive to the scale of production".
Answer
The Scottish Government supports innovation where it contributes to the sustainable production of salmon, including adaptive husbandry, health and welfare, nutrition and the reduction and monitoring of environmental impact. We recognise that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to farmed fish production, and that technological innovations must be designed to operate in the conditions of the surrounding environment. The Government’s Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture, published in July 2023, sets out our expectation of producers that they must drive mortalities to lowest possible levels and that technology is always used appropriately where it is deployed.