Emma Roddick MSP has spoken out following her dissent in a committee report, refusing to agree that a pause in the expansion of the industry should not be pursued despite welfare, mortality, and environmental issues highlighted.

The SNP MSP dissented from this recommendation, against the grain of her party colleagues.

In a debate on the report, she explained her reasons and said:

“It’s never easy to go against the grain and I did feel a lot of pressure to just say: ‘let them get on with it, this is an industry that brings in money and jobs and we have to let them keep growing without question.’ But we do not, and the industry should be as sustainable as it possibly can be.

“I felt strongly, more and more as the inquiry went on, that there was the justification for a pause in expansion until issues around mortality, welfare, and use of cleaner fish and other lice treatments were sorted out. By the end, I felt that doing any less than a pause would be irresponsible. Both for the animals we are discussing, and for the future of the industry.

“Which is why, after debating every detail of the recommendations running up to it, I couldn’t put my name to the final section of the report which stated the committee did not feel a moratorium was justified.

“I hope that I am wrong, and I hope that we come back as a committee next year, astounded by the positive progress, and I will be happy to be left with a red face. I will be approaching any new evidence next year with an open mind and look forward to seeing urgent action over the next year.

“I want to get behind Scottish food and drink, I do not want to have hesitations.”

The Committee has agreed to meet to revisit the possibility of a moratorium or pause next year, based on progress made in the meantime.