A HOLYROOD committee has slammed SNP Scottish government inaction to clean up the salmon farming industry, despite a six-year wait.

The rural affairs and island committee made 65 recommendations in 2018 to reform the sector including research into the environmental impact of chemical use on fish farms and simplifying the planning process to allow farms to relocate from unsuitable sites in a bid to reduce impact on the marine environment.

Now its updated report argues that a lack of progress on the recommendation risked being “detrimental to the long-term viability” of the sector.

But the committee once again shied away from a moratorium on the expansion of fish farming, noting the industry itself has “made improvements.”

Stressing the industry’s economic importance, committee convener Finlay Carson called on the Scottish government to “drive the change agenda required” to ensure the sector was “both future-proofed and enabled to grow sustainably.”

Salmon Scotland’s Tavish Scott argued they were strictly regulated and “already have world-leading welfare and environmental standards.”

But Green Britain Foundation founder Dale Vince said: “Even a properly run factory farm for salmon causes great environmental harm — and are there any of those?

“The people and wildlife of Scotland deserve better.”

Sustainable Inshores Fisheries Trust’s Charle Millar said: “The key missing information here, though, is what economic costs this industry imposes on other sectors, from fishing to marine tourism.

“Scottish ministers ought to have done a full cost-benefit analysis long ago, and until they have this data we need a moratorium on new fish farms.”

Stating the Scottish government is “wholly committed to the sector’s success,” SNP Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon added: “We will consider the report carefully and respond in due course.”