Marine pen fish farming: Charging changes

Closes 18 Feb 2025

Opened 26 Nov 2024

Overview

This consultation asks for your views on potential changes to the Environmental Regulation (Scotland) Charging Scheme 2018 (the charging scheme). Our proposal is to raise additional charges from the marine pen fish farming sector in order to recover the costs associated with enhanced environmental monitoring. This monitoring will investigate the potential impact of sea lice upon salmonids for the purposes of our sea lice regulatory framework. We are proposing these additional charges to deliver our obligations for full cost-recovery as required under the Scottish Public Finance Manual.

The changes proposed in this consultation are subject to approval by the Scottish Ministers. Your feedback will inform the decisions made by Ministers.

Why your views matter

The preferred way to respond to this consultation is digitally via this consultation hub

Where it is not possible to respond via our consultation hub, you can respond to this consultation by sending an email to aquaculture.regulation@sepa.org.uk.

If you wish to respond another way, please contact us using our online contact form or by phone: 0300 099 6699 and we’ll arrange for an Officer to call you back. 

Responses must be submitted by midnight on the 18 of February 2025, earlier responses are welcome.  

Handling your response 

We would like to know if you are happy for your response to be made public. If you ask for your response not to be published, it will be regarded as confidential and treated in accordance with our published Privacy Policy

You can indicate your preference in the Respondent Information Form.

How we use your feedback

As Scotland’s principal environmental regulator, our purpose is to protect, improve Scotland’s environment in ways that as far as possible also create health and well-being benefits, and sustainable economic growth.

Our Corporate Plan sets our strategic agenda and our Annual Operating Plan implements our priorities. In delivering these priorities we engage with those who have an interest in and are impacted by our regulations and duties. One way we engage is through consultations. The feedback we receive through our consultations helps us to understand what matters most to those that are interested and affected by our work and helps to shape how we implement our duties. After the consultation closes we’ll take time to consider responses before sharing an update with you through the “we asked, you said, we did” section of our consultation website.

Have your say - By entering the consultation survey, you agree for your data to be used in accordance with our privacy policy

Audiences

  • Local Authorities
  • Responsible Authorities
  • Fisheries
  • Aquaculture
  • SEPA Staff
  • Public
  • EA, SEPA and NRW Staff
  • Water
  • Local community

Interests

  • Water Regulation
  • Water Quality
  • Aquaculture
  • Regulated activities
  • SEPA charges
  • Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) regulations: finfish aquaculture