Salmon farms to print data on sea lice

Salmon farms will publish data on sea lice and fish mortality amid growing concerns about the environmental impact of the industry.

David Sandison, general manager of the Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation (SSPO), gave the commitment at a meeting of Holyrood’s Environment Committee.

The committee is holding an inquiry into the environmental impact of salmon farming following a report highlighting the potential for lice from farmed salmon to damage wild populations of fish.

The report, by SAMS Research Services, said there were gaps in the data and called for farm lice statistics to be put in the public domain.

Mr Sandison told MSPS: “I can confirm that from hereon forthwith, we will be publishing all data associated with sea lice counts on farms on a farm-byfarm basis in Scotland.

“This backs up the decision of the industry SSPO board that was taken in November last year and is now in the public domain.

“We believe that we need to move the debate forward.

“We hear all the arguments, we hear all the background noise, but we want to have a proper, open, honest dialogue about the actual status of farmed sites in Scotland.”