Review of aquaculture, its regulation and monitoring in Scotland

The aquaculture industry in Scotland is primarily located on the western an d northern coasts of Scotland where geographical and hydrographic condition s suit the species cultured. The regulation and monitoring of the industry has adapted and grown with the industry. Over 10 years, production has incr eased 10-fold and the efficiency of the industry has improved along with hu sbandry and management techniques although major disease problems have occu rred. Planning and siting controls have recently been reviewed incorporatin g new EC legislation on environmental impact assessment. Environmental prot ection and end product quality are achieved through complex legislation dem anding licences to discharge waste products and the application of strict q uality standards and targets to both the product and its growing and receiv ing environment. Monitoring programmes are well established to ensure compl iance with the legislation The complexity of issues the industry now poses for regulation and monitoring have challenged traditional views and require d new techniques to be developed, for example, mathematical modelling to se t environmental targets for some medicines. A national approach has been ne eded which will benefit the industry and the regulators and allow focus to be brought to wider issues requiring research and development.