PART 1Aquaculture

CHAPTER 1Fish farm management

I12Escapes, and obtaining samples, from fish farms

1

The Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2007 is amended in accordance with this section.

2

In section 5 (inspections: containment and escape of fish)—

a

in subsection (2), after paragraph (b) insert—

ba

ascertaining the origin of fish known or believed to have escaped from the fish farm or any other fish farm,

b

in subsection (3), in paragraph (a), after “equipment” insert “ , fish or material from fish ”.

3

After section 5 insert—

Sampling

5AObtaining samples from fish farms

1

An inspector may take samples of fish, or material from fish, on a fish farm for any of the purposes mentioned in subsection (3).

2

An inspector may require a person who carries on a business of fish farming to provide the inspector with samples of fish, or material from fish, on the fish farm for a purpose mentioned in subsection (3).

3

The purposes are—

a

assisting any investigations into escapes of fish from fish farms that may require to be carried out,

b

analysing the samples mentioned in subsections (1) and (2) for scientific or other research,

c

assessing the impact of—

i

the operations of fish farms on the environment,

ii

escapes of fish from fish farms on stocks of fish other than those on fish farms, and

d

developing methods of tracing the origins of fish that escape from fish farms.

4

This section is without prejudice to sections 4B and 5.