SEPA lifts ban on hatchery's release of treated water into loch
Environment watchdog reaches agreement with Scottish Sea Farms
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has lifted a ban that prevented salmon farmer Scottish Sea Farms (SSF) from releasing water containing medicinal fungicides into Loch Creran from its recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) hatchery at Barcaldine, Oban.
The partial suspension of the facilitiy’s water discharge licence imposed in May this year meant that SSF has been having to transport the water by tanker to a licensed facility for disposal.
SEPA’s action followed SSF’s increased use and discharge of formaldehyde and bronopol above permitted levels between May and November last year in response to problems it had controlling Saprolegnia, a lethal fungus found in the freshwater environment.
Six times the limit
“In some instances, SSF exceeded the maximum permitted daily quantity of bronopol by a factor of six over consecutive days. This resulted in modelled concentrations exceeding the Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) by almost a factor of 10 at the 100-metre nominal mixing zone edge in Loch Creran,” SEPA stated as one of five reasons given for the suspension, which was imposed months after SSF had stopped exceeding the discharge limits.
SEPA also said it had not received sufficient assurances that measures were in place to prevent a recurrence of the increased discharges.
Veterinary advice
Edinburgh legal firm Shepherd and Wedderburn, which appealed SEPA’s decision on bahelf of SSF, argued that the levels of Saprolegnia experienced at Barcaldine last year were much higher than those normally experienced, and that it was critical they were tackled as quickly and decisively as possible.
“The decision to increase frequency of medical treatments was taken following veterinary advice, with a view to minimising negative fish welfare outcomes and unacceptable levels of mortality,” it added.
In a written appeal submission, the lawyers pointed out that SEPA hadn’t provided evidence that the increased discharges would impact protected reefs in Loch Creran, hadn’t given a time frame for the suspension, and hadn’t said what assurances it required that the increase in discharges won’t reoccur.
Deal agreed
An appeal hearing was due to be held last week but was scrapped after talks between SEPA and SSF, in which SEPA agreed to cancel the suspension and SSF agreed to withdraw its appeal. SSF will provide SEPA with additional reports and assurances regarding future contingency planning at Barcaldine.
The anti-salmon farming Green Britain Foundation, a campaigning group funded by vegan multi-millionnaire Dale Vince, condemned the decision. Vince said that instead of lifting the suspension, SEPA should have been extending it.
