Fisheries: Fish farming and health
Note: information on licensing requirements and Environment Agency responsibilities concerning freshwater fish are available from the efishbusiness website, in the "Forms and Guidance" section.
Aquaculture
For new legislation that may affect you, please see the agricultural employment pages.
In England and Wales we currently have 411 fish and shellfish farming businesses operating on 524 sites, employing 1,300 people. Production of rainbow trout (in the UK) remains stable at around 16 - 17,000 tonnes (2005).
In Scotland we have 202 fish and shellfish farming businesses operating on 805 sites employing 2,112 employees (2004). Production of rainbow trout is 6,352 tonnes. Production of salmon is 158,099 tonnes (2004). There is also a limited production of other species, such as carp and brown trout, and relatively new species to aquaculture such as turbot, halibut, cod and Arctic char have produced encouraging results.
The main shellfish species farmed is mussels 27,000 tonnes (2005 figures) with oysters and clams also farmed. Trials on scallop farming have proved to be successful.
Considerable funds have been spent by the Government on aquaculture research, particularly on work to control disease. In addition, joint sponsorship of research by Government, industry and other organisations is being undertaken through the Committee for Aquaculture Research and Development to promote the sustainable development of the industry, including the evaluation of alternative species for cultivation. Further details of Defra's research programme are available.
A report of a seminar Future strategies for
the English farmed trout industry held in 2000 is available in PDF
format. 
(35 KB)
Several and Regulating Orders
Defra is currently consulting on proposals to modify the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967, the legislation supporting Several and Regulating Orders. The proposed amendments aim to modernise the current legislation and enable grantees of Orders to better deliver current fisheries management priorities.
The deadline for responses to the consultation is 13 September 2006.
Several Orders create and protect a private shellfishery. They are granted in order to encourage the establishment or improvement of a shellfishery.
Regulating Orders grant the right to regulate the exploitation of a shellfishery. They are designed to improve the management of natural shellfisheries.
In England, Several and Regulating Orders are granted by the Secretary of State under the terms of the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967.
Further information can be found in the following Defra publications, in the Forms and guidance area of this site:
Food hygiene
Responsibility for fish and shellfish hygiene issues falls under the remit of the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
Contacts
If you require any further information on any of the above matters please contact us at: Defra, Fisheries Division II 'A', Area 5E, Whitehall Place West, 3-8 Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2HH. Tel: 020 7270 8826; Fax: 020 7270 8827; Email: sh.fishii@defra.gsi.gov.uk.
For further information on licensing requirements and Environment Agency responsibilities concerning freshwater fish, see the efishbusiness website.
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Page last modified: 26 October 2006
Page published: 16 June 2003