What happens to vets

European membership has had massive impact on manpower and medicines

As MD of a company serving the salmon farming industry and as a vet working to protect and promote fish health, the UK’s membership of the EU has a massive impact upon my working life.

The consequences of June’s referendum vote and the impact o the Brexit negotiations are there ore o real and significant interest.

Speaking personally, and don’t seek to represent anyone else here, remain very definitely pro-EU and am proud that this was the majority opinion in Scotland. What that means or Scotland’s relationship with the rest o the U just adds to the uncertainty which will prevail over the next few years!

There are, o course, big uestions over the implications o Brexit or the industry in which make my living. What agreements, or example, will affect the trade in Sco sh salmon and how will that impact upon investment in Sco sh aquaculture?

For me as a fish vet, though, the ocus is narrower – what will Brexit mean for manpower and medicines?

Many of the brightest and best of the new generation o fish vets have come rom other EU countries to work here in the UK.

know that there is real and understandable concern in this section o the veterinary community over both the direct consequences of the referendum result and what that vote says about the U ’s a tude towards them.

believe it is vital we look a er these colleagues, make sure they know they are valued and fight to protect their ability to continue their good work here.

Everyone involved in UK aquaculture will know that the armoury o medicines available to fish vets, wherever we come rom, is piti ully small. Our ability to use those medicines is further