The use of wrasse on salmon farms is regulated under the provisions of EU Directive 2006/88 on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and products thereof, and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in aquatic animals. Statutory Instrument 261 of 2008 – European Communities (Health of Aquaculture Animals and Products) Regulations 2008 gives effect to the EU Directive at a national level. The Marine Institute is the Competent Authority for the implementation of this legislation.
I am advised by the Marine Institute that wrasse fish are culled at the end of the salmon production cycle. This prevents the possible spread of pathogens that the cleaner fish may have potentially been exposed to whilst cohabiting with the salmon, into the environment.
The culling of cleaner fish is not generally supervised by the Marine Institute. The supervision of the culling process by the Marine Institute occurs only in circumstances where such culling is required to control the spread of a notifiable disease listed in Annex IV Part II of Council Directive 2006/88/EC or a suspected emerging disease.
Fish mortalities including culled cleaner fish are routinely transported to an approved rendering plant in accordance with Animal By-Products Regulations. Records of the disposal of fish are inspected annually by my Department’s veterinary inspectors in accordance with Animal By-Products Regulations.
