We are disappointed that the process initiated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in 2021 has failed to deliver effective regulation of the interaction between farm-derived sea lice and wild salmon and sea trout.
The fundamental principle that the interaction between wild and farmed fish must be managed is unchanged. This was reinforced by the Chief Scientific Adviser’s report in March 2026, which concluded that the full SEPA framework represents a proportionate response to the current evidence and that its scientific basis is defensible.
Our focus must now be on moving forward and delivering the protections that our wild salmon and sea trout populations urgently need. Wild salmon are in crisis, and further delays in delivering effective management of farm-derived sea lice impacts on these populations cannot be afforded.
We therefore call on the Scottish Government and SEPA to renew their commitment to ensuring that the impacts of farm-derived sea lice on wild salmon and sea trout are effectively managed, and to ensure that the necessary measures are implemented without further delay.
As an organisation, we are committed to working constructively with all relevant stakeholders to secure these protections and help safeguard the future of Scotland’s wild salmon and sea trout populations.
Read the decision notice here
