The Act Part 1 Aquaculture Control Section 16 - Control agreements
41.Section 16 applies where the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that a commercially damaging species is present on a fish farm or shellfish farm. Section 16(2) requires that Scottish Ministers form a preliminary view as to whether measures should be taken to remove the species, to reduce the incidence of the species, to prevent its spread or to control it, and if so, by what means. For example, where a commercially damaging species is found to be present, Ministers may take a preliminary view that the site may be fallowed to control the presence of a commercially damaging species.
42.Where it is decided that measures should be taken, section 16(3) requires the Scottish Ministers to give notice to the person who carries on the business of fish farming or shellfish farming at the farm in question, and to consult that person in order to secure their agreement on the measures to be taken, etc. When agreement under 16(3) is reached, the Scottish Minister must prepare a “control agreement”, and section 16(4) specifies the matters that must be contained in such an agreement. Section 16(6) requires the Scottish Minister to send a copy of the control agreement to the person carrying on the business of fish or shellfish farming at the farm in question and section 16(8) makes provision for the control agreement to be reviewed at least once in every 18 months.