Farmed fish health: Scotland's Farmed Fish Health Framework group minutes - May 2024

Attendees and apologies

• Sheila Voas, Scottish Government (SG), Farmed Fish Health Framework (FFHF) Steering Group Chair
• Lorna King, SG
• Charles Allan, in part, SG, Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI)
• Iain Berrill (Salmon Scotland)
• Mike Montague, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
• Fraser Broadfoot, Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)
• John Webster, British Trout Association (BTA)
• Heather Jones, Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC)
• Jim Gallagher, Scottish Sea Farms (SSF)
• Ben Hadfield (MOWI Scotland)
• Jonathan Fletcher, SG,  Secretariat
• Hazel Bartels, SG

Apologies

• Ronnie Soutar, Fish Vets

Items and actions

Welcome from the Chair

The Chair welcomed all parties to the group noting that the purpose of this meeting was to consider a re-fresh of working arrangements and agree shared priorities for delivery. Collaboration and shared responsibility for delivery should be at the centre of the approach going forward.

Introduction to a refresh

Previous feedback provided by Steering Group members suggested a refresh of the FFHF is required to ensure the framework document and Steering Group working practices provide the best structure for delivery, reflect current priorities and articulate a shared commitment to enhancing the survival of farmed fish.

The group agreed workstreams should be prioritised around impact, and working practices should be changed to better utilise relevant skills and expertise within projects and to introduce greater accountability for delivery. Timelines should ensure work is delivered at pace, taking account of resource availability, and regulation should be adaptive and responsive to fish health challenges.

Actions

• With the Chair and policy team, SEPA to consider which aspects of regulation relevant to fish health are suitable for an adaptive approach supporting better fish health outcomes. This could be part of periodic review of the impacts of its regulation. By August. (Action 1)

 

Role of the Steering Group and delivery Groups

There should be greater strategic focus on understanding and reacting to long term challenges such as climate change. Workstreams and projects should be impactful and deliver better outcomes for fish health .

To deliver this, it was agreed the Steering Group should meet on a reduced frequency (twice a year) to agree priorities, provide direction and oversight. Project delivery should be achieved throughout the year utilising operational expertise via ‘task and finish’ groups which would access relevant expertise and skills on a case by case basis.

Clarification of the relationship between the Scottish Aquaculture Council (SAC) and the Farmed Fish Health Framework was requested. SG responded by explaining the SAC provides overarching strategic feedback and advice to Ministers on aspects of aquaculture policy and regulation, and the FFHF provides a delivery mechanism for collaboration on work to improve fish health. Sheila Voas sits on both in recognition of the need for a link between both forums.

Actions

• SG Secretariat to develop FFHF working arrangements reflecting relationship between Steering Group and operational level expertise, articulating the link with SAC, and circulate for comment. By end June, for comment during the summer period. (Action 2)

Testing high level priorities

The three existing themes for action are:

• climate change and adaptation
• improved access to medicines and treatments
• mortality analysis by cause.  

Subject to minor change to the scope of the mortality category it was agreed these are still relevant as high level areas of focus which can help prioritise work. An additional category on adaptive regulation was considered, acknowledging that aspects of this are inherent to all categories.

Draft high level priorities going forward:

• Climate change adaptation and mitigation
• Improved access to medicines and treatments
• Mortality – evidence and information
• Adaptive regulation and innovative approaches

Taking a strategic approach

The group discussed that the strategic direction of the group will overlap with consideration of future environmental changes largely arising from a changing climate and environment. A space for exploring this further is the Marine Directorate’s Climate Change Strategy work, and opportunities to align with this work were discussed. Subject to scoping, this could offer a vehicle to consolidate scientific knowledge, identify evidence gaps and help develop options to address concerns on both fish health and wider aspects of aquaculture planning. A mechanism was needed to identify the key questions and address them – it was agreed that SG fish health policy would liaise with the climate change team to better understand scope and highlight opportunities for collaboration on areas of relevance to fish health.

The need for greater strategic join up of fish heath and other aspects of policy development and regulation was discussed – salmon and trout representatives emphasised a need for accurate and balanced advice to be offered to Ministers. SG colleagues emphasised that ensuring accurate scientific information, business intelligence and other relevant data are conveyed to Ministers is a key part of their function, although this is not always visible to industry partners. To enhance this join up, and in particular to provide an opportunity for the sector to demonstrate how it is responding and adapting to challenge, engaging fish health framework members directly with the Cabinet Secretary was discussed.

Actions

• Secretariat to explore opportunities for involvement in MD’s climate change strategy work. By August. (Action 3)
• Sheila/fish health team to explore opportunities for a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary on the subject of fish health. By August. (Action 4)

Setting deliverables and a work programme

New project proposals were invited and updates were provided on ongoing projects on HABS, vaccine demand, holistic review of medicines, adaptive regulation of SLICE and bacteriophage regulation.

It was agreed that a prioritised work programme should be developed with agreed deliverables, resources and timelines identified. It is likely not all suggested work will take place within the group, and a discussion took place about how to enhance the information sharing aspect of responding effectively to fish health challenges.

Actions

• Secretariat to circulate a list of projects with delivery descriptors for consideration and prioritisation by Steering Group members. By mid-June, for comment. (Action 5)
• All members to put forward projects for consideration and prioritisation alongside existing deliverables. Aligned with comment phase of action 5. (Action 6)

Update on SAIC

 Heather provided an update of the contribution SAIC has made to fish health to date. Details of the arrangements and funding (£1.5 million) put in place by Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council to support SAICs delivery of fish health projects until 2026 were outlined until longer term arrangements were made.

There was widespread support for the contribution SAIC had made to aquaculture innovation and it was considered to be an exemplar of activity which supported through sector partnership and investment.

[Update: Confirmation of the £1.5m grant agreement in respect of SAIC was made by Tom Arthur, Minister for Employment and Investment, at Aquaculture UK on 14 May 2024.]