Communication of Knowledge Strength in Sea Lice Dispersal Modelling - Technical Working Group
Sustainable growth of aquaculture is an important component of Scotland’s Blue Economy Vision. However, on the path to achieving sustainable growth, it's important to note that sea lice can have significant implications both in terms of fish health and welfare and also with regard to economic impacts (Sea lice management measures for farmed salmon production: research) and there is a risk sea lice from finfish aquaculture have an impact on wild salmon populations (Scottish wild salmon strategy). Therefore, there is a requirement that sea lice are managed for the protection of both wild salmonids and aquaculture – and this is the focus of the modelling work being done. That focus builds on the work done during the Scottish Science Advisory Council (SSAC) review (SSAC Report - Use of Science and Evidence in Aquaculture Consenting and the Sustainable Development of Scottish Aquaculture) and the independent review of aquaculture consenting (Aquaculture regulatory process: review) through closer collaboration with stakeholders, a key element to achieving Scotland’s Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture (Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture).
The interaction between salmon farming, wild fish populations, and sea lice is a complex and uncertain issue, requiring specialist modelling to help describe the interactions. Effective communication and decision-making in this context require acknowledging and addressing these uncertainties.
The Science, Evidence Data and Digital (SEDD) portfolio of the Marine Directorate is working with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Institute of Marine Research (Norway) and Fiskaaling (Faeroes) to review and report on the best ways to deal with uncertainty in sea lice dispersal modelling. We are developing best practice for the presentation of uncertainty in model results to support policy development and decision making through a Technical Working Group. This group is working together to identify and prioritise evidence gaps associated with the uncertainty in model outputs used for planning, consenting and regulation processes for finfish aquaculture developments, which are detailed in the Technical Working Group biophysical modelling evidence map available for download below.
- Communication of Knowledge Strength in Sea Lice Dispersal Modelling - Evidence Map
Presentations given during our workshop on the 7th of September are available here:
- Dr, Lars Asplin, Institute of Marine Research, Norway - 1-12
- Dr. Sandy Murray, Marine Directorate - 13-20
- Dr. Erin King, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) - 21-31
- Dr. Tróndur Kragesteen, Fiskaaling, Faeroe Islands - 32-45
- Dr. Francisco Bravo, CSIRO Chile Research - 46-58
- Marianne Parent, PhD Cand., Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island & Dalhousie University - 60-73
- Dr. Phil Gillibrand, Mowi Ltd. - 75-91
- Dr. David Morris, SEDD, Marine Directorate - 92-104
- Dr. Berit Rabe, SEDD, Marine Directorate - 105-113
- Dr. Andrew Dale, SAMS - 114-131
- Julien Moreau, NW-Edge - 132-133
- Dr. Dmitry Aleynik, SAMS - 134-148