AQUACULTURE HEALTH JOINT WORKING GROUP
WELFARE SUBGROUP
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 17 FEBRUARY 2004
AT PENTLAND HOUSE, EDINBURGH
Present:
Mr Dave Wyman, SEERAD, Chair
Members:
Mr Charles Allan, Fisheries Research Services
Mr Richard Slaski, Federation of Scottish Aquaculture Producers
Mr Ronnie Soutar, Fish Veterinary Society
Mr Brian Speed, SSPCA
Mr Paul Stevenson, Compassion in World Farming
Professor Phil Thomas, Responsible Use of Medicine in Agriculture
Dr John Webster, Federation of Scottish Aquaculture Producers
Secretariat:
Ms Carrol Herbertson, SEERAD
Mr Neil Sinclair, SEERAD
1. Apologies for Absence
The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming everyone to the meeting, particularly Peter Stevenson who had joined the Group in place of Paul Hook, and noted that apologies had been received from Andrew Voas.
2. Minutes of Meeting held on 23 September 2003 and Action Points
The minutes of the previous meeting were accepted by the Group as an accurate reflection of discussion and will therefore be put on the Scottish Executive website. It was agreed that the Action Points would be picked up as the Group discussed the draft code of practice.
The question of progress within the Council of Europe welfare group was raised. It was felt that the main articles of the code were well advanced but significant work was still needed on the appendices.
3. Consideration of Welfare Code of Practice
The Subgroup discussed the decision of the Aquaculture Health Joint Working Group that the Welfare Code of Practice should be incorporated into the Health chapter of the full industry Code of Practice. It was agreed that AHJWG should be invited to reverse its decision and allow separate freestanding chapters on health and welfare.
The Group then went on to discuss the draft code in detail. Although agreement was reached in principle, some sections still require forms of words. Once these have been incorporated into the draft, it will be circulated for members' endorsement.
4 Any Other Business
No matters were raised. The chair thanked everyone for attending the meeting and for their help and co-operation in producing the first ever Code of Practice for farmed fish.