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Temporary position statement: finfish farm facilities permitted to discharge benzocaine

Scope

This temporary regulatory position applies to finfish farm facilities that have an authorisation to discharge fish anaesthetic products containing the active ingredient, benzocaine.

Currently, operators may only use and discharge particular named products containing benzocaine. This regulatory position allows operators to use and discharge any anaesthetic product in which the sole active ingredient is benzocaine.

Regulatory position

An operator of a finfish farm facility that holds an authorisation to discharge a specified anaesthetic product whose sole active ingredient is benzocaine may discharge any other product whose sole active ingredient is also benzocaine.

SEPA will not treat discharges of such other products as non-compliances when reporting on operator compliance or for enforcement provided that the operator adheres to the conditions relating to the product specified in the permit as if those conditions also applied to the other benzocaine-containing product, or products, discharged under this regulatory position.

About this position

This regulatory position remains subject to review by SEPA at any time.

It is SEPA’s intention to incorporate provisions that are compatible with this position into all relevant finfish aquaculture sector permits in due course.