142 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the concern of salmon and trout anglers of the inherent disease risks of farm salmon and trout; the way in which he intends to allay the concerns of fishermen; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I am aware of concerns expressed by salmon and trout anglers that farmed salmon and trout can pose disease risks for wild salmonid populations. I am also aware that, conversely, fish farmers have similar concerns that wild fish carrying pathogens can be a major cause of disease outbreaks on fish farms. The question of disease transfer between wild and farmed fish is a complex one, with many gaps in our knowledge. Disease is a naturally occurring phenomenon in both wild and farmed salmonid populations. Certain diseases appear to be confined to wild fish, others are normally only seen in farmed fish populations. There are a number of diseases which occur in both.