A number of working groups have been in operation since Devolution, dealing with issues around fish and shellfish and more stratetgic issues, such as planning and location.
These have now been replaced by the Healthier Fish and Shellfish Working Group, which was established in 2009 following the launch of A Fresh Start - the renewed Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture.
Previous groups with an interest in fish and shellfish health have included:
- A group, made up of organisations who have an interest in fish welfare, was set up to consider welfare issues regarding current aquaculture practices and reported in Summer 2004 through a series of recommendations to the aquaculture industry.
- A waste disposal group was charged with developing a collective waste management infrastructure for the safe disposal of by-products from the industry.
- The Tripartite Working Group ( TWG) was established in 1999 with the aim of achieving healthy and sustainable farmed and wild salmonid stocks on the west coast of Scotland.
- The Aquaculture Health Joint Working Group ( AHJWG) is the successor to the Joint Government/Industry Working Group on Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA). The AHJWG first met in February 2000 and has wider representation and more regulatory focus than its predecessor.
- At present the UK is free from this Gyrodactylus Salaris, and in order to ensure that it remains so, a working group ( GSWG) has been formed.