Inspection reports

Case Number: 2025-0291

Download Site was visited prior to authorisation in order to establish the containment measures in place and to determine if the site met the definition of 'closed facility' to permit the stocking of a non-native species under the Alien and Locally Absent Species
Regs.
"Check list to determine the containment measures in place as defined in Council Regulation (EC) No 708/2007 concerning the use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture.
● Does the facility involve the recirculation of water:
The system is a recirculating system yes.

● Do discharges not connect in any way to open waters before screening and filtering or percolation and filtering to prevent the release of solid waste into the aquatic environment:
The system is recirc with the site not intending to discharge any water unless during small water changes. The water leaves the fish ponds via a screen that is small enough to contain ova, passes through a mechanical and biological filter before then being pumped through the various plant beds and then recirculated back into the fish ponds. Some of the plant beds are located just outside the polytunnel and some water will be directed to these. Any overspill will drain into the field which is located >60m from the river. So no discharge into open waters will occur.
● Are measures in place to prevent the escapes from the facility of the farmed species and non-target species that may survive and subsequently reproduce:
All fish will be kept in raised ponds and tanks only connected to filtration and plant beds in the land based system. Plant beds are lined and waste water from the beds is recirculated back to the fish ponds. Lids or nets on tanks and ponds will be used when required. All tanks and ponds will have a jump barrier either installed or the tank will not be fully filled to allow the tank wall to be used as a jump guard. There is no physical route for fish or plants to escape to a body of water due to physical barriers and distance overland. Appropriate screening will be used to safeguard against the release of fish, fry eggs and plants into the wider environment.
● Are measures in place to prevent the loss of reared specimens or non-target species and other biological material, including pathogens due to factors such as predators (e.g. birds) and flooding:
Most of the system is contained within a covered polytunnel (indoors) and will be checked daily to ensure no predators can access the aquaculture areas. There is a mesh fence fitted in the walls of the tunnels to ensure that ground predators cannot gain access.
● For predators is there predator control plan and what are the measures in place to prevent predation:
Fish tanks and ponds will be within a polytunnel, that will provide a barrier from animals from accessing the ponds where fish are kept.
Sides and doors to the polytunnels will provide a barrier from terrestrial animals [Original PDF]

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