SEPA: "Regulation of Fish Farms Streamlined" - err isn't streamline a euphemism for 'reduce to the bare bones'?

Isn't "streamlining" a euphemism for 'scaling back' and 'reducing to the bare bones'?https://t.co/xHNLUqPp80 pic.twitter.com/bhbAG07wZl

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2020

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) reported yesterday (9 November 2020):

SEPA takes on new powers to regulate chemical treatment residues from wellboats, adding to existing regulation of in-pen treatments, streamlining regulation and making it easier to ensure discharges meet environmental standards.

Read more 👉 https://t.co/dRlY0KfE0K pic.twitter.com/kS9J3AlI99

— Scottish Environment Protection Agency (@ScottishEPA) November 9, 2020

Immediately alarm bells have started ringing with the suspicion that "streamlining" is a euphemism for 'scaling back' and 'reducing to the bare bones' of an already leaky regulatory net for Scottish salmon farming.

New @ScottishEPA regulation!

Complete this statement:

“Transfer of powers streamlines regulation and makes it easier to ensure combined discharges from fish farms and wellboats are…….. pic.twitter.com/I7O5npfKNS

— Salmon Research (@salmonresearch) November 9, 2020

Fish Farmer magazine reported (9 November 2020) on the "streamlined regulation":

Scottish Salmon Watch warns that the devil is in the details and in the data!

The Devil is in the Data – why no published figures on the use of the toxic chemicals Azamethiphos, Deltamethrin, Hydrogen Peroxide & Imidacloprid via wellboats? @ScottishEPA @marinescotland @nature_scot @salmon_scottish @FergusEwingMSP @SSPOsays @scotgp https://t.co/ylOo17mBul pic.twitter.com/CDPHpSfBTX

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2020

SEPA's press release (9 November 2020) details:

Scottish Salmon Watch has previously expressed concern that the transfer of regulatory powers from Marine Scotland to SEPA has already resulted in more and more toxic chemicals slipping through the net.

Has @marinescotland opened the floodgates to licences to use the toxic chemicals Deltamethrin, Azamethiphos & Hydrogen Peroxide via wellboats at salmon farms before transfer of regulatory powers? @ScottishEPA https://t.co/JuFmxAsS8m @SSPOsays @SP_ECCLR #Toxic #Scottish #Salmon pic.twitter.com/VaDAgVWDJG

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 4, 2020

Well well well – the transfer of regulation for discharges of toxic chemicals from wellboats is laid before @ScotParl with @ScottishEPA taking over from @marinescotland in November subject to debate @SP_ECCLR https://t.co/CsksyKYtJj #Deltamethrin #Azamethiphos #HydrogenPeroxide pic.twitter.com/fX3NvhuGZ4

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 4, 2020

A press release issued by Scottish Salmon Watch in September 2020 included:

Why is Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory data on use of Azamethiphos & Deltamethrin via well boats still not published for 2019 when data on use of toxic chemicals via salmon farms is now available up to March 2020 via Scotland's Aquaculture? @ScottishEPA @marinescotland pic.twitter.com/8wrMq7yTkR

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 2, 2020

In August 2020, a fire on a well boat killed tens of thousands of farmed salmon (the operator Scottish Sea Farms has refused to disclose exact numbers).

Mass mortality at Scottish Sea Farms in Shetland: "A fire in wellboat engine room caused a total power failure resulting in no oxygen supply to fish held in the well. All fish held on the vessel died" @scotseafarms @marinescotland https://t.co/jI6ajOUOS9 @Shetnews @bbcshetland pic.twitter.com/2a3BHSnMDQ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 29, 2020

All 32 Tonnes of baby salmon now confirmed dead after wellboat fire in August.

“All mortalities were taken to a local incinerator for disposal”:@FergusEwingMSP @Feorlean @MairiGougeon @strathearnrose https://t.co/6wtXfH2mPw

— Salmon Research (@salmonresearch) November 9, 2020

The licensing of wellboat discharges has attracted considerable attention during 2020 with Marine Scotland issuing dozens of 'Temporary Marine Licence Variations' to salmon farming companies.

The 'temporary' changes included 'Covid-19 Wellboat Variations':

The @SSPOsays, @ScottishEPA, @marinescotland and salmon farmers have been working on ways to keep salmon alive during COVID-19 with "due regard to the environment"🙄

Their answer, as always:

JUST PUMP MORE CHEMICALS INTO THE SEA!! https://t.co/p2UYcChQA8

— Salmon Research (@salmonresearch) April 8, 2020

It appears that salmon farming companies such as Mowi (Scotland's largest salmon farming company) were subject of temporary marine licence variations on 8 April, 16 April and 3 July 2020:

In July 2020, Marine Scotland published 'Temporary Marine Licence Variations' for salmon farming companies at salmon farms across Scotland:

Temporary Marine Licence Variations (03 July 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Dawnfresh Farming Ltd	03/07/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (03 July 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Grieg Seafood Shetland Ltd	03/07/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (03 July 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Kames Fish Farming Ltd	03/07/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (03 July 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – MOWI Scotland Ltd	03/07/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (03 July 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Scottish Sea Farms	03/07/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (03 July 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – The Scottish Salmon Company	03/07/2020

A temporary marine licence variation for Mowi dated 3 July 2020 included:

The 'Schedule to Notification of Variation' dated 3 July 2020 included the statement that: "the Licensee must provide evidence to the Licensing Authority that plumes from wellboats at fish farm sites will not reach an active shellfish farm":

The document links to the NMPI map:

The 'Schedule to Notification of Variation' dated 3 July 2020 also included a list of shellfish farms:

Read list of shellfish farms in full online here

"Licensee must provide evidence that plumes from wellboats at fish farm sites will not reach an active shellfish farm" @marinescotland https://t.co/xHNLUqPp80
What about toxicity of Azamethiphos, Deltamethrin & Hydrogen Peroxide on creels, wild lobsters, scallops etc? @CreelScff pic.twitter.com/8GjBG2WOSS

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2020

In April 2020, Marine Scotland published further 'Temporary Marine Licence Variations' for salmon farming companies at salmon farms across Scotland

Temporary Marine Licence Variation (08 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Loch Duart Limited	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (08 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Cooke Aquaculture Scotland Ltd	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variation (08 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Kames Fish Farming Ltd	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (08 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – The Scottish Salmon Company	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (08 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Scottish Sea Farms Ltd	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (08 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – MOWI Scotland Ltd	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (08 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Grieg Seafood Shetland Ltd	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (08 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Dawnfresh Farming Ltd	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (16 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Cooke Aquaculture Scotland Ltd	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (16 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Dawnfresh Farming Ltd	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (16 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Grieg Seafood Shetland Ltd	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variation (16 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Kames Fish Farming Limited	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variation (16 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Loch Duart Limited	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (16 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – The Scottish Salmon Company	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (16 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – Scottish Sea Farms Ltd	20/04/2020
Temporary Marine Licence Variations (16 April 2020) – Wellboat Discharge – Various Sites – MOWI Scotland Ltd	20/04/2020

A temporary marine licence variation for Mowi dated 8 April 2020 included:

The temporary marine licence variation dated 8 April 2020 stated that: "This variation does not apply to licences for wellboat dishcarges at fish farm sites within 2.5 km of sites where there is growing for production taking place shellfish harvesting areas":

The document linked to a web-page at Food Standards Scotland:

Including:

The temporary marine licence variation dated 8 April 2020 ended by stating that "Licensees must provide confirmation that there is no growing of shellfish for production taking place within 2.5 km of the site at any shellfish harvesting areas":

In April 2020, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency opened the floodgates further to the use of toxic chemicals.

Under the Cloak of #Coronavirus – SEPA open floodgates to lobster-killing chemicals! https://t.co/6AgXQXNlS2 @ScottishEPA Emamectin benzoate is so toxic to shellfish it should be banned not used at higher concentrations & at unlicensed sites @TerryAHearn @SSPOsays @marinescotland pic.twitter.com/4PVFfGl1NU

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 9, 2020

The Ferret reported (12 April 2020):

The Ferret has reported on the scandal dubbed 'Slicegate' since 2017:

A scientific paper published in September 2020 detailed environmental risks of Azamethiphos and Deltamethrin (toxic chemicals used via wellboats and on the farm via tarpaulins):