June 16, 2006

Scotland's salmon fisheries fear contamination from Norway's stocks

The EU needs to take immediate action to protect Scotland's salmon stocks from imports of diseased Norwegian fish, Scottish National Party European Fisheries Spokesperson Ian Hudghton said in Parliament.

There is widespread concern that fish infected with the highly contagious Gyrodactylus Salaris (GDS) and Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) could affect Scottish salmon unless an immediate ban is imposed on smolts and eggs from Norway, he said.

Hudghton said he has written to Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, pointing out that the Atlantic Salmon is protected under the Habitats Directive.

Scotland's salmon rivers are extremely important to the country's economy as it provides over GBP70 million to the economy each year, he said.

The government has spent millions protecting the river habitats and granted special conservation status to these rivers.

Unless the threat posed by Norwegian imports is recognised and urgent action taken, that would have been money down the drain, Hudghton stressed. 

An EU report confirmed that diseases such as GDS and ISA are common in Norway's farmed and wild salmon stocks. With over three-quarters of Scotland's salmon farmed fishing controlled, partially by Norwegian interests, fears are growing that firms would choose to re-stock with imported salmon eggs and smolts from Norway.

Although the EU's aquatic animal health Directive may provide some measure of protection, it would not be in place until 2007 and Scotland's Atlantic Salmon could not wait until then, Hudghton said.