Local Marine Issues

AFT is an active member of both the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Forums and Area Management Agreements (AMAs). Via these management groups, AFT seeks to promote the health of wild and farmed fish and work with fish farmers and wild fishery interests to ensure best management practice is employed by both sectors.

Aquaculture

Aquaculture has become a major industry in rural areas over the last 20 years and provides benefits to the local economy. Many studies on the West of Scotland, specifically on wild salmon and sea trout, have shown that intensification of sea lice and cross breeding with escaped farmed fish remain the most important factors affecting wild salmon and sea trout stocks. In Argyll, an Area Management Group (AMG) is established to formulate and manage each AMA. Group members include representatives of local salmon farms, AFT, and representatives of the Argyll District Salmon Fishery Board and local River Improvement Associations. Funding for the Tripartite Working Group, which financially supported the AMAs, ceased in March 2011, however in many areas AMAs continued.

The AMAs aim to incorporate the following measures to promote both wild and farmed fish health:

1. Synchronised Production, ensuring all sites within the AMA are on the same production cycle and thus allowing at least a six week fallow period and coordinated treatment regime.
2. No ovigerous (egg bearing) lice on farmed fish between February and June during the smolt run.
3. Develop site specific containment plans and contingency plans for re-capture of escapee fish.
4. Relocation of farm sites in sensitive areas.
5. Promotion of catch and release policies.
6. Restoration of degraded river systems.
7. Protection against gyrodactylus salaries.
8. Promotion of wild fishery restoration plans.

Currently there are three signed AMAs in Argyll; Firth of Clyde (2008), Linnhe/Lorn/Etive/Sound of Mull/Sunart (2002) and West Mull (2004). No AMA currently exists for the Lower Firth of Lorn (2006).