Section 34 – Unauthorised introduction of fish into certain marine waters
74.Section 34 inserts new section 2C into the 1937 Act. Section 2C(1) enables the Scottish Ministers, by order made by statutory instrument, to specify parts of marine waters adjacent to Scotland (which term has the same meaning as in new section 2ZB(6) of the 1937 Act, inserted by section 14 of the Act) as they consider appropriate. Section 2C(2) obliges the Scottish Ministers to consult such persons as they consider appropriate before making an order under subsection (1). Section 2C(4) makes it an offence to introduce into such a “specified area” any fish of a specified species which originates from outside that area and which has been in salt water in any area of UK waters designated by the Scottish Ministers, unless that introduction has the prior written consent of the Scottish Ministers. Section 2C(5) gives the Scottish Ministers power to make regulations in relation to the manner of applying for this consent, it being intended that applications should be accompanied by a risk assessment similar to that which is presently required under the industry’s own code of practice.