Seòmar agus comataidhean

Thank you.

We have up until about 11.30 for questions, so there is plenty of time. I will kick off.

Our first theme is the economic and social benefit of aquaculture. How is the Scottish Government ensuring that community benefits and employment from salmon farms are maximised?

We heard in a previous evidence session from SEPA, which has produced a finfish agriculture sector plan. Its objectives include that:

“communities are confident that the environment is protected by being well informed and engaged with businesses operating on their land and waters”,

and that

“communities have a high level of trust towards regulators and businesses and benefit from open and transparent dialogue.”

Up to now, in our discussions with stakeholders and communities, those things do not seem to be the case. When do you expect SEPA to deliver those outcomes, given how important it is that communities are fully engaged with industry?

Our next item of business is the final evidence session of our follow-up inquiry into salmon farming in Scotland.

I welcome to the meeting Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, and her officials from the marine directorate: Charles Allan, senior delivery lead, aquaculture, fish health and biosecurity; Jill Barber, senior delivery lead, aquaculture programme; and Hazel Bartels, senior delivery lead, aquaculture programme.

I also welcome Edward Mountain MSP, who will be taking part in the discussion. Before we begin, I invite him to declare any relevant interests.

I call Rhoda Grant.

They are covered?

Well, it is good to get that on the record.

We move to a question from Tim Eagle.

I am sorry to interrupt, but what is your benchmark for a rate of 25 per cent? What makes a 25 per cent mortality rate okay but 35 per cent not okay, or 15 per cent not good enough? How are you benchmarking that, given that the public perception is that the life cycle of fish is completely different from the life cycle of a cow or a chicken, or whatever? Why is it okay to lose 17 million fish?

I call Ariane Burgess.

Thank you for that response. Does that go for other fisheries? For example, the lack of an FMP would not stop the development of, or investment in, a cockle, periwinkle or whelk fishery. What would trigger the marine directorate’s consideration of some of those other fisheries? We have heard about a trigger that might result in a plan for wrasse. What would trigger an FMP for cockles, periwinkles, whelks or other inshore fisheries?

I believe that in the region of £40,000 was spent commissioning Seafish. Is there a potential conflict of interest? That issue was raised by some stakeholders.