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Fish farm monitoring in Scotland

Fish farm monitoring in Scotland. Scotland Norway MOU Committee 29 March 2011 Edinburgh. Douglas Sinclair, Specialist Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Contents. Why How Where When. Why do we monitor fish farms.

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Fish farm monitoring in Scotland

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  1. Fish farm monitoring in Scotland Scotland Norway MOU Committee 29 March 2011 Edinburgh Douglas Sinclair, Specialist Scottish Environment Protection Agency

  2. Contents • Why • How • Where • When

  3. Why do we monitor fish farms • Credible regulatory regimes must be supported by monitoring or inspection • There is an expectation that polluters are “checked” • Beyond the philosophical need for monitoring • Legislation, EU, UK and Scots imposes requirements. • EU – WFD – broad monitoring principles • Developed by Water Environment Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 and other legislation – Environment Act 1995 • Implemented in programmes developed by SEPA under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) Scotland Regs 2005 known as CAR.

  4. Why do we monitor fish farms • Monitoring programmes are “risk based” • Fish farm discharges are relatively “high risk” • Population equivalent • Containing pesticides • Close to other users interests • Often close to Natural Heritage • Potential for cumulative effects • Benthic monitoring at fish farms is therefore justified

  5. How do we monitor fish farms • SEPA has evolved a well defined and developed monitoring approach • Originated from work done in the early 1990s in Shetland which was based on: • Annual surveys • Single photographic transect • Monitoring approach is variable sometimes photographs or video are still used • But in most cases monitoring is now based upon benthic sediment studies

  6. Benthic Usually minimum requirement for any site 3 types of survey Assessed for biological Animal species Abundance Community structure and physio-chemical impacts Metals Carbon Sea lice meds residues Visual Alternative if substrate unsuitable ie rocky See key species and habitats Abundance frequency Substrate type Can be video or stills May be required for CAR applications Suitable for planning, EIA etc. How do we monitor fish farms Sometimes both are required

  7. How do we monitor fish farms • Parameters are assessed against published standards • Farms are classified as: • SATISFACTORY – pass the standards • BORDERLINE – failure of one or two standards or a number of standards are close to the fail threshold. This is technically still a “satisfactory” outcome but highlights stress on the sea bed • UNSATISFACTORY – failure of quality standards • So that is how we monitor the benthos, where do we undertake this monitoring

  8. 25 metre fixed AZE Where do we monitor fish farms • Where to judge impacts has also evolved over the years • SEPA used to assess effects of farms based on a fixed impact zone - AZE. • System now more sophisticated, based on model outputs • Giving a site specific impact footprint

  9. Where do we monitor fish farms Monitoring undertaken on pre-determined transect Grey shading = limit of AZE Stations close to farm plus reference

  10. Where do we monitor fish farms • In addition to monitoring at fish farm sites, monitoring is undertaken in waterbodies for WFD purposes • Check overall waterbody status • Examines wider range of parameters • Nutrients in water column • Macroalgae • Plankton

  11. Where do we monitor fish farms CSTT Zones Zone A Near field Zone B Far field

  12. Where do we monitor fish farms • In addition to monitoring at fish farm sites, monitoring is undertaken in waterbodies for WFD purposes • Check overall waterbody status • Examines wider range of parameters • Nutrients in water column • Macroalgae • Plankton • When does this monitoring occur

  13. BIOMASS 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Feb '09 Feb '10 Jun '09 Jun '10 Jun '08 Jun '02 Feb '03 Jun '03 Feb '04 Jun '04 Feb '05 Feb '06 Feb '07 Feb '08 Feb '02 Jun '05 Jun '06 Jun '07 Oct '09 Oct '08 Oct '02 Oct '03 Oct '04 Oct '05 Oct '06 Oct '07 When do we monitor fish farms • Two strategies, one for routine benthic surveys, one for sea lice medicine residues • Benthic impacts monitoring used to be annual • SEPA relaxed requirements to: • once per growth cycle • in the summer of 2nd year of production • at the time of peak biomass

  14. When do we monitor fish farms • Sea lice medicine residues, monitored at time of peak sediment concentration • So, for example for Slice: • Peak concentration in sediment is at 118 days post treatment • Monitoring used to be required 110-130 days post treatment • Now relaxed to 80 -169 days post treatment

  15. peak mass 95% mass Site Residual Curves 90 day sampling window

  16. Summary • SEPA has a highly developed monitoring strategy • Seeks to maintain compliance with national and EU requirements • Assesses impacts against accepted standards • Contributes to the protection of Scotland’s water environment • Allows the on-going sustainable development of the industry.

  17. Questions??

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