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Aquaculture – UK Initiatives AAC General Assembly, Brussels 13 th September 2018

Aquaculture – UK Initiatives AAC General Assembly, Brussels 13 th September 2018. Overview. Issues in the UK aquaculture sector – salmon and trout industries, regulators and government – are not dissimilar to those which concern European Union colleagues;

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Aquaculture – UK Initiatives AAC General Assembly, Brussels 13 th September 2018

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  1. Aquaculture – UK InitiativesAAC General Assembly, Brussels 13th September 2018

  2. Overview • Issues in the UK aquaculture sector – salmon and trout industries, regulators and government – are not dissimilar to those which concern European Union colleagues; • Implementation of EC Regulations and Directives, debates over fish health, fish welfare, environmental impact, economic contribution, etc. are continually under multi-lateral discussion; • However, some issues in recent months have had particularly high profiles and characterised industry/governmental relations.

  3. A Specific ‘Level Playing Field’ Issue • A Commission review of Turkish government subsidies for trout farming in 2013 led to the imposition of ‘countervailing duties’ on a variety of trout imports to the EU; • A Turkish exporting group requested a review of the duties in 2017, and the UK - both industry and government – supported the Danish-led EU-wide industry opposition to this request, with the BTA contributing to the funding of expert support; • In mid-2018, after investigation of the facts of the situation, the Commission concluded that the situation had not materially changed, and that the duties should remain in force.

  4. Post-Brexit status for Trout Import Duties • UK government consultation required to justify continuation of duties; • Responses coordinated by BTA ensured a solid nation-wide support for continuation post-Brexit; • These submissions resulted in a decision (albeit still ‘provisional’) in favour of maintaining the duties post-Brexit; • So there will be some degree of alignment between the UK and the EU in future aquaculture import duties!

  5. VetMedProducts et al • Despite Brexit, there are strong indications that the UK will largely align with the revised EU Regulations on VMPs (and medicated feed) including the ‘cascade’; • And UK concerns over AMR will most likely lead to continued collaboration on antibiotic usage monitoring and regulation; • Animal welfare concerns have a high profile in the UK, and there is every likelihood that any EU legislative advances will be mirrored in post-Brexit UK regulations; • Multi-annual plans have never really been a UK priority, but industry-driven strategic development in Scotland will continue – perhaps not too far from EU objectives for sectoral growth.

  6. Fish Health • Creation of ‘Scotland’s 10 Year Farmed Fish Health Framework’ in early 2018 (mainly salmon, but also trout); • Seven work streams/areas of action: • Information flow & transparency • Gill health • Sea lice • Cleaner fish • Production cycles and on-farm management • Licensing regime and medicine use • Climate change and ocean acidification. These concerns are not too dissimilar from concerns among other fish farming communities within the EU.

  7. Substitution of EU EMFF Programme • Post-Brexit there will be a requirement for a substitute UK ‘EMFF’ scheme; • Discussions between government Departments continue (behind closed doors), with industry (fishery and aquaculture interests) preparing a position paper to discuss with relevant Departments; • Alignment with EC proposals to an extent – administrative and legal simplification, greater flexibility (but hope to continue ‘grants’ rather than EC proposed move to emphasis on ‘financial instruments’) and continued support for promotion and sustainable development of aquaculture, including freshwater.

  8. Water regulation • Extensive discussions between the BTA and Defra/EA in England- and SEPA in Scotland - regarding future licencing, regulation and charging for abstraction & discharges; • In Scotland, regular meetings on a sectoral basis between SEPA and industry representatives – the ‘Trout Environmental Liaison Group’ aims to meet twice a year to discuss current issues and concerns (e.g. diffuse pollution, the SEPA ‘Finfish Sector Plan’ - a blueprint for future relations with a draft due next month).

  9. Conclusion • UK Regulators and government policy makers (UK-level and devolved administrations, particularly the Scottish Government) appear relatively open to discussion and consultation on the major issues facing the aquaculture industry as we move into an uncertain post-Brexit environment; • However, Brexit could potentially lead to a chasm between UK and EU regulatory standards – industry does not want this, and will actively promote ‘alignment’ wherever possible, through continued involvement in the AAC and active engagement with UK/devolved administrations.

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