Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of footage published on 10 March 2026 by Animal Equality UK via The Ferret depicting salmon at a Bakkafrost facility with severe sea-lice infestations resulting in significant facial tissue damage, and reports that the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carried out an investigation into the incident but did not confirm what regulatory action was subsequently taken, with Bakkafrost stating that the regulator was “satisfied” with the action taken in respect of affected fish, whether it will commit to requiring regulators, including APHA, to proactively publish the findings and outcomes of welfare investigations at aquaculture facilities, in order that the public and the Parliament can assess whether regulatory responses are proportionate to the severity of incidents recorded.
The Scottish Government takes the welfare of farmed fish seriously and expects all aquaculture operators to comply with animal welfare legislation and industry standards. Where welfare concerns are raised, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) are responsible for investigating potential breaches of welfare law and, where appropriate, will take enforcement action using the range of powers available to it.
The Scottish Government provides funding for training APHA veterinarians on farmed fish welfare, and we have full confidence that they have the skill and expertise to carry out inspections. Arrangements for routine welfare inspections of Scottish fish farms by APHA have been strengthened and will result in an increased number of inspections undertaken each year.
The Scottish Government does not intend to require proactive publication of outcomes of individual welfare investigations. Any changes to existing reporting practices would require careful consideration to ensure consistency across sectors and to avoid prejudicing investigative functions.