Call for sea lice alerts at farms – Fisheries Management Scotland

ALEX FERGUSSON, a former presiding officer of the Scottish parliament, has raised concern that secrecy around sea lice outbreaks on fish farms could be concealing a serious environmental problem.

Fergusson, the Tory MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, wants detailed data on sea lice outbreaks to be published amid fears free-range wild salmon are fatally infested when they swim through lice “clouds”.

At present, fish farm operators are not obliged to disclose sea lice levels at their sites.

Fergusson recently tabled an amendment to the Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill that would have forced individual fish farms to reveal sea lice data.