The decline in wild salmon populations is driven by a wide range of pressures. Interactions with salmon farming are not the sole cause of declines, this is a complex and multifaceted issue. However, with wild Atlantic salmon now classified as an endangered species, it is essential that where controllable risks are identified, including those associated with salmon farming, appropriate action is taken.
Last week, the Chief Science Advisor for Marine published a review commissioned by Scottish Ministers to examine concerns raised by the fish farming sector regarding SEPA’s Sea Lice Regulatory Framework. Following feedback from across the industry, Ministers asked CSA Marine to engage directly with stakeholders and assess the scientific basis, implementation, and transparency of the framework.
The review concludes that “the framework is scientifically defensible.” It also finds that concerns raised by the fish farming sector about misrepresentation of the science are not supported, noting that “the balance of scientific evidence does indicate a statistically significant negative impact of parasites on wild salmon return rates, and that this evidence is not misrepresented by the regulator.”
At the same time, the report acknowledges the evolving nature of the science in this area and recommends that the underpinning evidence base is formally reviewed every four to five years to ensure the framework remains current and robust.
The findings underscore a broader challenge: the science itself is not the primary issue, but rather how it is applied. Concerns raised by industry around clarity, transparency, and consistency are recognised as valid, and the report sets out a series of recommendations to address these issues.
FMS welcomes the review and its conclusions, and believes it provides a constructive foundation for progress. We are committed to working collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders, including regulators, government, and the fish farming sector, to support improvements in both the framework and its implementation, and to help build shared confidence in the approach. We want to see effective regulation which protects Scotland’s wild salmon and sea trout populations.
Alongside this review, the latest parliamentary committee report on salmon farming in Scotland highlights the need for renewed momentum. The Rural Affairs and Islands Committee notes that progress on a number of longstanding recommendations has been limited and calls for greater urgency in delivering agreed actions.
The Committee also called on the Scottish Government to set out what interim measures will be put in place to mitigate sea lice risks to wild salmon while the regulatory framework remains subject to legal challenge. At the same time, the Committee recognises that much about the decline in wild salmon populations remains uncertain, and that salmon farming is one of several pressures affecting wild Atlantic salmon that require further investigation. In this context, the Committee recommended in its legacy report that its successor Committee undertake a dedicated parliamentary inquiry into the conservation status of wild salmon in Scotland.
With species in decline, FMS recognises the importance of moving forward at pace, while also ensuring that actions are proportionate, evidence-based, and developed in partnership. There is already a substantial body of science and recommendations available, and we believe the priority now is to translate these into effective, coordinated measures that address the range of pressures facing wild salmon.
Protecting wild salmon is not only an environmental imperative but also critical to the long-term sustainability of Scotland’s rivers, coastal ecosystems, and rural economies. Achieving this will depend on sustained collaboration, shared responsibility, and a clear focus on delivering meaningful action across all pressures. FMS will continue to engage constructively with all parties to support this goal.
