Griggs to lead review of Scottish fish farming regulation.
On Friday, the Scottish Government announced the appointment of Professor Russel Griggs to lead a long-awaited review of fish farming regulation in the country.
The review is a manifesto commitment made in the run-up to last May’s Scottish Parliamentary elections, in which the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) pledged to make fish farming development more responsive, transparent and efficient by creating a single overarching authority.
It is hoped these changes will bring Scotland into line with leading salmon producing countries such as Norway, and therefore improve the industry’s competitiveness.
Griggs, who has a degree from Edinburgh’s Heriot Watt University and is an honorary professor of Glasgow University, started his business life in the pharmaceutical industry, and has gone on to hold senior roles across a variety of different sectors, including textiles, design, business development, banking and investment.
He is chair of several organisations and committees, including the Institute of Occupational Medicine, Dumfries and Galloway College and the Scottish Government’s independent regulatory review group in Scotland.
In a press release issued by the Scottish Government, Griggs said, “I very much welcome the opportunity to lead this important review.
“Aquaculture plays a major role in maintaining sustainable rural communities and the economy as a whole and this review is both timely and necessary.
“The industry faces significant challenges and also has its critics, but I will approach this review with an open mind and engage with stakeholders from across the aquaculture spectrum.
“Only by doing this will we be able to deliver improvements in the regulatory landscape in the short-term and identify options for further reform in the longer term.”
