Section 16 – Clearance of certain fish farms
42.This section inserts two new sections into the 1937 Act, immediately after section 5B (as inserted by section 15 of the Act).
43.Inserted section 5C gives the Scottish Ministers power to serve a notice upon the operator of a fish farm situated in waters which have been designated under section 2 of the 1937 Act in relation to Gyrodactylus salaris. Such a notice may impose any of the requirements listed in subsection (3), namely: the withdrawal of all fish from the farm; draining and disinfection of pools and cages; destruction of dead fish, fish showing signs of gyrodactylosis caused by the parasite Gyrodactylus salaris and fish showing signs of the presence of the parasite; the cleaning and disinfection or destruction of equipment, material or substances liable to be contaminated with the parasite Gyrodactylus salaris; and requiring that the farm not be repopulated with fish until a further notice has been served to this effect. A person who intentionally contravenes any requirement of a notice under section 5C(1) is guilty of an offence, punishable on summary conviction by a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale (the level of penalty is set by section 8(1) of the 1937 Act; level 4 is currently equivalent to £2,500).
44.Inserted section 5D provides that where a person fails to comply with any requirement of a notice under section 5C, an inspector may enter the fish farm to which the notice relates and take such steps as the inspector considers necessary to ensure compliance with the requirement or to remedy the consequences of a failure to comply, and allows for the Scottish Ministers to recover the inspector’s reasonable costs from the person upon whom the notice was served.
