Industry rethinks aquaculture welfare as deadline for U.S. Marine Mammals Protection Act looms.
In a press release, the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation writes that Scotland’s salmon farmers have set out the sector position in the use of ADDs as part of the predation management toolkit.
The SSPO writes that the sector is no longer using acoustic deterrent devices (ADDs) that may have been considered to cause disturbance to European Protected Species.
ADDs are used by a number of marine sector’s including offshore construction and engineering to deter marine mammals from installations, to protect animals, people and infrastructure.
“In Scotland, farmers have a moral and legal responsibility to protect their fish, and ADDs were used by some salmon producers as part of the toolkit for managing predation by seals, in conjunction with other deterrent technologies and innovations including anti-predation netting, seal blinds and new net tensioning methods,” wrote the SSPO.
In 2019, SalmonBusiness reported that Scottish salmon could be banned in the USA as early as January 2022 if fish farmers use certain acoustic deterrent devices. They were handed a deadline of March this year to prove that their laws match up to the American Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
The only circumstances in which Scottish salmon producers will use ADDs in the future is where they comply with both Marine Scotland and U.S. MMPA requirements and operators have been provided with evidence from suppliers of the devices’ compliance.
The SSPO said it is awaiting guidance from the Scottish Government and the US on the use of predation devices.
