Question reference: S6W-08393
- Asked by: Jim Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 29 April 2022
-
Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 May 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to take forward the Griggs review of the regulatory framework for aquaculture.
Answer
I have accepted the Griggs recommendations in principle and I am pleased to announce that I have formed a Ministerial Aquaculture Strategy Forum to progress the recommendations of the review and to advise on the development of the Vision for sustainable aquaculture.
Work to produce the Vision by the end of the year will consider how to ensure the whole aquaculture sector is sustainable environmentally, economically and socially, including how best to protect the marine environment and benefit communities.
I will personally lead the Strategic Forum to deliver this Government’s aspirations for the sector and ensure that Scotland’s aquaculture sector is supported, innovative, achieves its full potential, and operates within environmental limits and with social licence, ensuring there is a thriving marine ecosystem for future generations.
The aquaculture sector in Scotland supports over 11,700 jobs and generated £885 million Gross Value Added in 2018. I have observed first-hand the important role it plays in some of our most rural and coastal communities, in addition to the many, varied and skilled roles it supports across its wider supply chain.
To support the work of the forum, I have asked my officials to form a small consenting task group to make immediate progress on streamlining the consenting system to ensure processes are more efficient while maintaining high environmental standards. This work will start with an immediate change to the marine licence validity period for shellfish and finfish farms from 6 to 25 years, bringing it in line with the sea bed lease renewal cycle.
Today I have asked the Scottish Science Advisory Council to give consideration to the science recommendations. As Scotland’s highest level and independent science advisory body, the Council will help to ensure that the changes we progress ensure the long term success of Scotland’s aquaculture sector, helping understand and tackle environmental challenges, and to maintain its spot as the UK’s number one food export and its reputation as a healthy, low-carbon and quality food source.