Saturday, 22 October 2011

Anglers and landowners say a ban on farming in some areas would protect wild fish stocks

Coastal farm ban urged to protect wild fish stocks

Fish farm Anglers and landowners say a ban on farming in some areas would protect wild fish stocks

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Fish farming could be banned in some coastal areas in a bid to protect wild fish stocks, BBC Scotland has learned.

Anglers and landowners have claimed that parasites from farms are at least partly to blame for declines in wild salmon and sea trout.

Now the Scottish government may follow the example of Norway and restrict the spread of farms.

The fish farming industry said there was no evidence that parasites were threatening wild fish stocks.

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson was interviewed as part of a BBC Scotland investigation into fish farming.

When asked if new legislation planned for later this year might see farms banned from areas that are important to wild stocks, he replied: "Of course it may do - and we'll consult on that. Everything is open for discussion.

"But we have to have the consultation, we have to understand in the environment we have in Scotland what the effects of different options would be."

Mr Stevenson also revealed he is considering forcing salmon farmers to publish information about lice levels on specific farms, a measure which has been called for by critics of the fish farm industry and which has been implemented by the Norwegian government.

However, Steve Bracken from Marine Harvest, Scotland's largest salmon producer, said there was not enough evidence to suggest that parasites - known as sea lice - were responsible for any declines in wild fish stocks.

Start Quote

We're regularly reported on and we're regularly inspected so we're not hiding anything”

End Quote Scott Lansburgh Scottish Salmon Producer's Organisation

He argued producers should not be forced out of existing farming areas.

"We can't say that we're not having an impact. It's just knowing how much of an impact we've got," he said.

"And that's why I think it would be wrong to say 'well, we don't know, we don't really like this but we think you should go out of the loch'. We don't think that's a reason for moving."

The BBC Scotland Investigates: Scotland's Fishy Secrets programme also examined whether lice have become resistant to the range of chemicals being used to treat them and revealed evidence that the industry may be hiding the scale of problems it has encountered in treating the parasites.

During the investigation, BBC Scotland made a Freedom of Information request to the Scottish government.

The response contained notes of discussions between the drug companies that make the treatments and government officials.

In those documents a government official writes: "The view from the [fish farming] industry was that there is a clear evidence of lack of efficacy and that some fish farms have even been closed as a result of sea lice infestation. However, fish farms are reluctant to report these officially."

In another document relating to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) which is responsible for monitoring residues of drugs in food, a government official reports: "The [fish farming] industry, the pharmaceutical companies and the VMD are therefore in a Mexican standoff."

Lice burdens

The group which represents salmon farms in Scotland said the industry was not concealing information from regulatory authorities.

Scott Lansburgh, chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producer's Organisation, said: "We're regulated by the environmental protection agency, SEPA.

Government scientist John Armstrong spoke about the impact of farmed fish infected with sea lice on wild fish

"So they keep a close eye on what's going on in the industry as do the fish health inspectorate and their reports are open to all to see and we're regularly reported on and we're regularly inspected so we're not hiding anything."

Environment Minister Mr Stevenson was also asked about the scale of the problem.

He said: "At the moment there isn't evidence of resistance to the various treatments there are, some other countries have that resistance if you continuously use the same treatment."

The wild fish lobby said that any resistance could have serious implications.

Guy Linley Adams, a lawyer working for the Salmon and Trout Association, said: "If we're getting resistant sea lice we need to know where the populations of those resistant sea lice are.

"If it does spread we get multiple resistance in sea lice across the west coast of Scotland and in the isles then you've got this awful scenario of farms with huge lice burdens causing problems not just for the farmers but for the wild fish as well."

BBC Scotland Investigates: Scotland's Fishy Secrets will be broadcast on BBC One Scotland at 22:35 on Tuesday 18 October, and then on the programme website.

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westof-mengele: Cornwall wave energy hub gets subsidy increase

westof-mengele: Cornwall wave energy hub gets subsidy increase: Cornwall wave energy hub gets subsidy increase The £42m Wave Hub project tests wave energy machines off the coast of Hayle Related Storie...

Cornwall wave energy hub gets subsidy increase

Cornwall wave energy hub gets subsidy increase

Wave Hub "socket" The £42m Wave Hub project tests wave energy machines off the coast of Hayle

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Managers of a wave energy project in Cornwall have welcomed government plans to more than double the subsidy to wave and tidal energy projects.

Wave Hub, off the coast of Hayle, is a grid-connected test site for wave energy technology.

Energy Secretary Chris Huhne said wave and tidal energy projects "desperately need help to reach the market".

Claire Gibson, general manager at Wave Hub, said it would boost the development of wave energy machines.

She said the proposal "helps close the economic viability gap, which remains the biggest stumbling block to the commercial deployment of wave devices".

St Ives Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George said the support would "significantly increase commercial interest in the project".

The £42m wave hub, an electrical "socket" for wave energy machines on the sea surface, was lowered to the seabed in 2010.

It has four berths available, but none are being used.

Its first customer will be Warwick-based Ocean Power Technologies which is expected to deploy its Power Buoy devices in 2012.

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Thursday, 20 October 2011

Viking boat burial discovery 'a first'

Viking boat burial discovery 'a first'

Ardnamurch Viking boat burial discovery 'a first'an

Sword, axe head and pin The sword, axe head and a bronze ring pin recovered from the burial site

Related Stories

The UK mainland's first fully intact Viking boat burial site has been uncovered in the north-west Highlands, archaeologists have said.
The site, at Ardnamurchan, is thought to be more than 1,000 years old.
Artefacts buried alongside the Viking in his boat suggest he was a high-ranking warrior.
Archaeologist Dr Hannah Cobb said the "artefacts and preservation make this one of the most important Norse graves ever excavated in Britain".
Dr Cobb, from the University of Manchester, a co-director of the project, said: "This is a very exciting find."
She has been excavating artefacts in Ardnamurchan for six years.
The universities of Manchester, Leicester, Newcastle and Glasgow worked on, identified, or funded the excavation.

Dr Oliver Harris from the University of Leicester says the burial artefacts belonged to a high-status individual
Archaeology Scotland and East Lothian-based CFA Archaeology have also been involved in the project which led to the find.
The term "fully-intact", used to describe the find, means the remains of the body along with objects buried with it and evidence of the boat used were found and recovered.
The Ardnamurchan Viking was found buried with an axe, a sword with a decorated hilt, a spear, a shield boss and a bronze ring pin.
About 200 rivets - the remains of the boat he was laid in - were also found.
Previously, boat burials in such a condition have been excavated at sites on Orkney.
Until now mainland excavations were only partially successful and had been carried out before more careful and accurate methods were introduced.
Other finds in the 5m-long (16ft) grave in Ardnamurchan included a knife, what could be the tip of a bronze drinking horn, a whetstone from Norway, a ring pin from Ireland and Viking pottery.
'The icing'
Dozens of pieces of iron yet to be identified were also found at the site.
The finds were made as part of the Ardnamurchan Transition Project (ATP) which has been examining social change in the area from the first farmers 6,000 years ago to the Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Helena Gray of CFA Archaeology with axe head Helena Gray of East Lothian-based CFA Archaeology with axe head
Viking specialist Dr Colleen Batey, from the University of Glasgow, has said the boat was likely to be from the 10th Century AD.
Dr Oliver Harris, project co-director from the University of Leicester's School of Archaeology and Ancient History, reinforced the importance of the burial site.
He said: "In previous seasons our work has examined evidence of changing beliefs and life styles in the area through a study of burial practices in the Neolithic and Bronze age periods 6,000-4,500 years ago and 4,500 to 2,800 years ago respectively.
"It has also yielded evidence for what will be one of the best-dated Neolithic chambered cairns in Scotland when all of our post-excavation work is complete.
"But the find we reveal today has got to be the icing on the cake."

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Chinese fish and shrimp feed company


Animal feed news

Nutreco buys out Chinese fish and shrimp feed company

//20 Oct 2011
Nutreco announced that it has successfully completed the acquisition of 100% of the shares in Zhuhai Shihai Feed Co. Ltd. (Shihai), a reputable and profitable fish and shrimp feed company in China.
The revenue in 2010 was EUR 65 million. This acquisition will provide Skretting, the Nutreco fish feed business, with a production base in China, the world's number 1 aquaculture feed market.
The acquisition is fully in line with the strategy to capitalise on Nutreco's leading fish feed positions by expanding in new regions and into feed for other species. The acquisition was announced on 14 February 2011 and was subject to approval of the Chinese authorities. These have now granted their permission.
Shihai supplies a growing market and produced approximately 100,000 tonnes of fish and shrimp feed in 2010, a year in which it commissioned a new feed plant with a capacity of approximately 150,000 tonnes. The new plant is constructed and equipped to a high standard and is capable of operating to Skretting specifications. Shihai employs approximately 300 people. Skretting will continue growing the business, supplying fish feed for species such as shrimp, various marine fish species, tilapia, snakehead and catfish.
Source: Nutreco

Coastal farm ban urged to protect wild fish stocks

Coastal farm ban urged to protect wild fish stocks

Fish farm Anglers and landowners say a ban on farming in some areas would protect wild fish stocks

Related Stories

Fish farming could be banned in some coastal areas in a bid to protect wild fish stocks, BBC Scotland has learned.

Anglers and landowners have claimed that parasites from farms are at least partly to blame for declines in wild salmon and sea trout.

Now the Scottish government may follow the example of Norway and restrict the spread of farms.

The fish farming industry said there was no evidence that parasites were threatening wild fish stocks.

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson was interviewed as part of a BBC Scotland investigation into fish farming.

When asked if new legislation planned for later this year might see farms banned from areas that are important to wild stocks, he replied: "Of course it may do - and we'll consult on that. Everything is open for discussion.

"But we have to have the consultation, we have to understand in the environment we have in Scotland what the effects of different options would be."

Mr Stevenson also revealed he is considering forcing salmon farmers to publish information about lice levels on specific farms, a measure which has been called for by critics of the fish farm industry and which has been implemented by the Norwegian government.

However, Steve Bracken from Marine Harvest, Scotland's largest salmon producer, said there was not enough evidence to suggest that parasites - known as sea lice - were responsible for any declines in wild fish stocks.

Start Quote

We're regularly reported on and we're regularly inspected so we're not hiding anything”

End Quote Scott Lansburgh Scottish Salmon Producer's Organisation

He argued producers should not be forced out of existing farming areas.

"We can't say that we're not having an impact. It's just knowing how much of an impact we've got," he said.

"And that's why I think it would be wrong to say 'well, we don't know, we don't really like this but we think you should go out of the loch'. We don't think that's a reason for moving."

The BBC Scotland Investigates: Scotland's Fishy Secrets programme also examined whether lice have become resistant to the range of chemicals being used to treat them and revealed evidence that the industry may be hiding the scale of problems it has encountered in treating the parasites.

During the investigation, BBC Scotland made a Freedom of Information request to the Scottish government.

The response contained notes of discussions between the drug companies that make the treatments and government officials.

In those documents a government official writes: "The view from the [fish farming] industry was that there is a clear evidence of lack of efficacy and that some fish farms have even been closed as a result of sea lice infestation. However, fish farms are reluctant to report these officially."

In another document relating to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) which is responsible for monitoring residues of drugs in food, a government official reports: "The [fish farming] industry, the pharmaceutical companies and the VMD are therefore in a Mexican standoff."

Lice burdens

The group which represents salmon farms in Scotland said the industry was not concealing information from regulatory authorities.

Scott Lansburgh, chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producer's Organisation, said: "We're regulated by the environmental protection agency, SEPA.

Government scientist John Armstrong spoke about the impact of farmed fish infected with sea lice on wild fish

"So they keep a close eye on what's going on in the industry as do the fish health inspectorate and their reports are open to all to see and we're regularly reported on and we're regularly inspected so we're not hiding anything."

Environment Minister Mr Stevenson was also asked about the scale of the problem.

He said: "At the moment there isn't evidence of resistance to the various treatments there are, some other countries have that resistance if you continuously use the same treatment."

The wild fish lobby said that any resistance could have serious implications.

Guy Linley Adams, a lawyer working for the Salmon and Trout Association, said: "If we're getting resistant sea lice we need to know where the populations of those resistant sea lice are.

"If it does spread we get multiple resistance in sea lice across the west coast of Scotland and in the isles then you've got this awful scenario of farms with huge lice burdens causing problems not just for the farmers but for the wild fish as well."

BBC Scotland Investigates: Scotland's Fishy Secrets will be broadcast on BBC One Scotland at 22:35 on Tuesday 18 October, and then on the programme website.

More on This Story

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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

“Trendy fish pedicures; the risk of catching a virus are 'very low'

Tuesday October 18 2011

The risk of catching a virus are 'very low'

“Trendy fish pedicures could spread HIV and hepatitis C,” The Sun has today reported. Its front-page story said that officials have raised an “alert” over the treatment, popular in beauty spas, where tiny fish are used to nibble away areas of hard foot skin.

While The Sun has been carping on about warnings and alerts, the newspaper seems to have overestimated the scale of the risk, which health experts have described as being “extremely low”. Rather than being an alert, the news is based on a report by the Health Protection Agency that has set out good practice for so-called ‘fish spas’ that offer the service.

While the report did acknowledge that the risk of infections could not be completely ruled out, it is important to view this in context and not be reeled in by fishy headlines.

What exactly is a fish pedicure?

A fish pedicure is a beauty treatment that uses dozens of tiny fish to nibble away dead and hardened skin from the feet. During a session a person immerses their feet in a tank of warm water and lets the minute, toothless Garra rufa fish nibble away for around 15 to 30 minutes. The fish are said only to eat dead skin, although there are some anecdotal reports that they can break the skin if they nibble too deep.

Fish pedicures have long been used as beauty treatments in Turkey and the Far East, but have only recently been introduced to this country. In the few years since the first UK ‘fish spa’ opened the treatment’s popularity has rocketed due to celebrity endorsements and high-profile press coverage. The HPA says that, as of spring 2011, it is aware of 279 in operation (although there are likely to be many more).

A small number of spas may also be using other species of fish to perform pedicures, such as Chin chin fish. However, the HPA says that these should not be used as they develop teeth when they get older, and may therefore present a greater risk to public health.

What did the report examine?

The report examined a number of issues relating to fish pedicures, including:

  • potential ways infections might occur
  • the risk of catching blood-borne viruses, including HIV and hepatitis
  • the risk of bacterial infections
  • the risk of catching parasites, such as fluke worms
  • the risk of transmitting conditions, such as athlete’s foot and verrucas
  • procedures that might reduce any health risks

The report is based on consultations with experts and professional bodies within the fields of public health, aquaculture, health and safety, and animal welfare.

What did the report find?

The report considered three main ways that a person might catch an infection:

  • from a fish or a fish tank
  • from tank water
  • from another person via surfaces, such as floors

Within these areas they considered the different types of infections that might occur.

Blood-borne viruses

Viruses such as HIV and hepatitis are carried in the blood and, in theory, could be transmitted through tank water if someone with a cut or abrasion were to use a tank containing traces of blood from an infected person with cuts.

However, there is only anecdotal evidence that Garra rufa fish can draw blood, and the HPA says that any blood-borne viruses they come into contact with are unlikely to stay on the surface of their mouths and lead to infection. Any blood entering the tank is likely to be diluted by the volume of water used.

While transmission through this method cannot be completely ruled out, the HPA says the risk of catching a blood-borne virus in this way is extremely low. Further to this, the HPA is recommending that the fish spas check clients for cuts and abrasions both before and after their session.

Parasites

Fish-borne parasites, such as tapeworms and flukes that can be caught by humans if they eat undercooked fish. However, the HPA says that there is no evidence that these can be caught from a fish pedicure as this would require ingestion of the fish or the water.

Bacterial infections

The report looked at a number of specific harmful bacteria, including those that cause salmonella and legionnaires’ disease. Generally, these were deemed to be of low risk as they would not be ingested or would need broken skin to cause infection.

However, certain bacteria were identified as posing a greater risk of infection. For example, Staphylococcus aureus might infect people’s skin if they had eczema or psoriasis. Also, a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium marinum, which is associated with fish tanks and non-chlorinated swimming pools, could cause boils if transferred into broken skin.

Fungal infections such as verrucas and athlete’s foot

Fungi are known to survive on inanimate surfaces for prolonged periods and could, therefore, be passed on by infected clients walking around barefoot. However, the HPA points out that this route of transmission is not unique to fish spas.

So are fish pedicures safe?

The Health Protection Agency says that “on the basis of the evidence identified and the consensus view of experts, the risk of infection as a result of a fish pedicure is likely to be very low”. The agency does outline some groups who are not recommended to have fish pedicures due to increased risk of infection, such as people with diabetes or compromised immune systems.

The HPA also specifically addresses the possibility of transmitting blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis. The agency says that, in theory, transmission could occur if infected blood from one person got into an open wound on another person using the same tank, although, once again, the risk is “extremely low”. In part, the risk would be minimised due to factors such as the diluting action of the water and the fact that infected blood would be unlikely to stay on the fishes’ mouths.

However, the agency does say that the risk of infections cannot be completely excluded and, in order to reduce this risk even further, they have drawn up a list of recommendations for fish spas.

What recommendations does the HPA make?

The HPA has made extensive recommendations on how fish spas can further reduce the risk of infections. Below are some of the major ones.

Groups not recommended to have a fish pedicure

The agency also says fish pedicures are not recommended for people that may increase the risk of infection or pose an infection risk to other clients. This includes people who:

  • have had their legs waxed or shaved in the previous 24 hours (they may have tiny cuts that increase infection risk)
  • have any open cuts, wounds, abrasions or broken skin on the feet or lower legs
  • have an infection on the feet (including athlete’s foot or a verruca)
  • have psoriasis, eczema or dermatitis affecting the feet or lower legs
  • are diabetic (which leads to increased risk of infection)
  • have a blood-borne virus such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV
  • have an immune deficiency due to illness or medication
  • have bleeding disorders or take anticoagulant medication (for example, heparin or warfarin)

Safety procedures for fish spas

The HPA recommends that:

  • Clients should be provided with medical information on any potential risk, including specific guidance on conditions that raise infection risk.
  • Clients should have their feet examined both before and after treatment to make sure they are free from cuts and infections. Staff should log that these checks have been performed.
  • Feet should be thoroughly washed and rinsed before a pedicure to minimise the number of micro-organisms transferred into the tank.
  • If there is evidence that bleeding has occurred during a session the tank should be drained and cleaned thoroughly. The HPA has drawn up thorough guidelines on how to disinfect tanks in a fish-friendly way. After 48 hours in a holding tank the fish can be reused.
  • Clients should be told to seek advice from their GP if they experience any adverse effects.

Links to the headlines

Fish foot spa virus bombshell. The Sun, October 18 2011

Health risk from fish pedicures. The Daily Telegraph, October 18 2011

Links to the science

Fish pedicures unlikely to cause infection. HPA 2011

Tuesday, 18 October 2011

“Trendy fish pedicures could spread HIV and hepatitis


“Trendy fish pedicures could spread HIV and hepatitis C,” The Sun has today reported. Its front-page story said that officials have raised an “alert” over the treatment, popular in beauty spas, where tiny fish are used to nibble away areas of hard foot skin.
While The Sun has been carping on about warnings and alerts, the newspaper seems to have overestimated the scale of the risk, which health experts have described as being “extremely low”. Rather than being an alert, the news is based on a report by the Health Protection Agency that has set out good practice for so-called ‘fish spas’ that offer the service.
While the report did acknowledge that the risk of infections could not be completely ruled out, it is important to view this in context and not be reeled in by fishy headlines.

What exactly is a fish pedicure?

A fish pedicure is a beauty treatment that uses dozens of tiny fish to nibble away dead and hardened skin from the feet. During a session a person immerses their feet in a tank of warm water and lets the minute, toothless Garra rufa fish nibble away for around 15 to 30 minutes. The fish are said only to eat dead skin, although there are some anecdotal reports that they can break the skin if they nibble too deep.
Fish pedicures have long been used as beauty treatments in Turkey and the Far East, but have only recently been introduced to this country. In the few years since the first UK ‘fish spa’ opened the treatment’s popularity has rocketed due to celebrity endorsements and high-profile press coverage. The HPA says that, as of spring 2011, it is aware of 279 in operation (although there are likely to be many more).
A small number of spas may also be using other species of fish to perform pedicures, such as Chin chin fish. However, the HPA says that these should not be used as they develop teeth when they get older, and may therefore present a greater risk to public health.

What did the report examine?

The report examined a number of issues relating to fish pedicures, including:
  • potential ways infections might occur
  • the risk of catching blood-borne viruses, including HIV and hepatitis
  • the risk of bacterial infections
  • the risk of catching parasites, such as fluke worms
  • the risk of transmitting conditions, such as athlete’s foot and verrucas
  • procedures that might reduce any health risks
The report is based on consultations with experts and professional bodies within the fields of public health, aquaculture, health and safety, and animal welfare.

What did the report find?

The report considered three main ways that a person might catch an infection:
  • from a fish or a fish tank
  • from tank water
  • from another person via surfaces, such as floors
Within these areas they considered the different types of infections that might occur.
Blood-borne viruses
Viruses such as HIV and hepatitis are carried in the blood and, in theory, could be transmitted through tank water if someone with a cut or abrasion were to use a tank containing traces of blood from an infected person with cuts.
However, there is only anecdotal evidence that Garra rufa fish can draw blood, and the HPA says that any blood-borne viruses they come into contact with are unlikely to stay on the surface of their mouths and lead to infection. Any blood entering the tank is likely to be diluted by the volume of water used.
While transmission through this method cannot be completely ruled out, the HPA says the risk of catching a blood-borne virus in this way is extremely low. Further to this, the HPA is recommending that the fish spas check clients for cuts and abrasions both before and after their session.
Parasites
Fish-borne parasites, such as tapeworms and flukes that can be caught by humans if they eat undercooked fish. However, the HPA says that there is no evidence that these can be caught from a fish pedicure as this would require ingestion of the fish or the water.
Bacterial infections
The report looked at a number of specific harmful bacteria, including those that cause salmonella and legionnaires’ disease. Generally, these were deemed to be of low risk as they would not be ingested or would need broken skin to cause infection.
However, certain bacteria were identified as posing a greater risk of infection. For example, Staphylococcus aureus might infect people’s skin if they had eczema or psoriasis. Also, a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium marinum, which is associated with fish tanks and non-chlorinated swimming pools, could cause boils if transferred into broken skin.
Fungal infections such as verrucas and athlete’s foot
Fungi are known to survive on inanimate surfaces for prolonged periods and could, therefore, be passed on by infected clients walking around barefoot. However, the HPA points out that this route of transmission is not unique to fish spas.

So are fish pedicures safe?

The Health Protection Agency says that “on the basis of the evidence identified and the consensus view of experts, the risk of infection as a result of a fish pedicure is likely to be very low”. The agency does outline some groups who are not recommended to have fish pedicures due to increased risk of infection, such as people with diabetes or compromised immune systems.
The HPA also specifically addresses the possibility of transmitting blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis. The agency says that, in theory, transmission could occur if infected blood from one person got into an open wound on another person using the same tank, although, once again, the risk is “extremely low”. In part, the risk would be minimised due to factors such as the diluting action of the water and the fact that infected blood would be unlikely to stay on the fishes’ mouths.
However, the agency does say that the risk of infections cannot be completely excluded and, in order to reduce this risk even further, they have drawn up a list of recommendations for fish spas.

What recommendations does the HPA make?

The HPA has made extensive recommendations on how fish spas can further reduce the risk of infections. Below are some of the major ones.
Groups not recommended to have a fish pedicure
The agency also says fish pedicures are not recommended for people that may increase the risk of infection or pose an infection risk to other clients. This includes people who:
  • have had their legs waxed or shaved in the previous 24 hours (they may have tiny cuts that increase infection risk)
  • have any open cuts, wounds, abrasions or broken skin on the feet or lower legs
  • have an infection on the feet (including athlete’s foot or a verruca)
  • have psoriasis, eczema or dermatitis affecting the feet or lower legs
  • are diabetic (which leads to increased risk of infection)
  • have a blood-borne virus such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV
  • have an immune deficiency due to illness or medication
  • have bleeding disorders or take anticoagulant medication (for example, heparin or warfarin)
Safety procedures for fish spas
The HPA recommends that:
  • Clients should be provided with medical information on any potential risk, including specific guidance on conditions that raise infection risk.
  • Clients should have their feet examined both before and after treatment to make sure they are free from cuts and infections. Staff should log that these checks have been performed.
  • Feet should be thoroughly washed and rinsed before a pedicure to minimise the number of micro-organisms transferred into the tank.
  • If there is evidence that bleeding has occurred during a session the tank should be drained and cleaned thoroughly. The HPA has drawn up thorough guidelines on how to disinfect tanks in a fish-friendly way. After 48 hours in a holding tank the fish can be reused.
  • Clients should be told to seek advice from their GP if they experience any adverse effects.

Links to the headlines

Fish foot spa virus bombshell. The Sun, October 18 2011
Health risk from fish pedicures. The Daily Telegraph, October 18 2011

Links to the science

Med Bluefin tuna catch 'unabated'

Med Bluefin tuna catch 'unabated'

Sushi chef The vast majority of bluefin flesh ends up in sushi and sashimi restaurants

Related Stories

Bluefin tuna boats in the Mediterranean Sea continue to catch many more fish than they report, a study concludes.
Commissioned by the Pew Environment Group, it finds that last year 140% more bluefin meat from the Med entered the market than was reported as caught.
The fishery's regulator, Iccat, put new measures in place two years ago aimed at stopping over-fishing, but Pew found there were still holes in the system.
The Atlantic bluefin is so depleted as to qualify as a threatened species.
In 2008, member governments of Iccat - the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas - agreed to implement a system of paper-based catch records, in principle allowing fish to be tracked from the sea to their final destination.
This was intended to remedy severe flaws in the system that had been identified in a number of reports, including one by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
But the Pew investigation found several ways in which the numbers can still be fiddled.
"The ICIJ report covered the year to 2008, and in response Iccat said 'well that was then' - so we thought, 'we'll see'," said Lee Crockett, who directs Pew's Atlantic tuna work.
"And as you can see, they clearly haven't fixed the problem - in fact, the gap [between the reported and total catches] has increased, which is a pretty clear indication that they need to do a much better job of making sure that the catch reports track the quota," he told BBC News.
Missing reports

“Start Quote

How are these vessels over-catching when they're supposed to have an independent observer on board?”
End Quote Roberto Mielgo Bregazzi Pew consultant
The research involved scanning through available trade data - exports from EU nations, Japanese customs documents, the US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service - and comparing these with catch reports from Iccat's member governments.
As such, Pew argues that it probably under-estimates the scale of the problem as it does not include catches by straightforward illegal fishing operations, for which there are by definition no records.
In 2008, they calculate, just over 38,000 tonnes from the Med was traded internationally, against a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) quota of 29,082 tonnes.
In 2010, the quota had been slashed to 13,525 tonnes; but Pew's estimate for the actual catch was just over 35,000 tonnes.
Iccat's scientific advisers recently reported that in their eyes, there had probably been a marked drop in the actual catch in the last few years.
"Declared catches in 2010 were significantly below the 2010 TAC of 13,500 tonnes," they wrote.
"However, some [Iccat member countries] did not report their 2010 catch."
Caged beasts
After they are caught, many of the tuna are towed in cages to "farms" or "ranches" in Spain, Croatia and Malta.
There, they are fattened before being killed and exported - the vast majority to Japan, where the flesh is highly prized in sashimi.
Bluefin aggregation Purse seine boats usually target the bluefin as they come together to reproduce
Roberto Mielgo Bregazzi, who researched the data for the Pew report, said this was where many of the problems lay.
"Most of the over-catch being produced in the Med in my opinion comes not from illegal fishing boats but from the legal purse seine fleet," he said.
"And the question is, how are these vessels over-catching when they're supposed to have an independent observer on board, when they're taken to a farm where another observer is waiting to watch the transfer to the farm?
"What really happens is there is no effective way to actually calculate and certify first of all the amount in kilos that's being transferred into a cage, and second the number of fish."
Divers are sent down into the purse seine nets to estimate the number of fish and the total mass caught - but Dr Mielgo, a former tuna diver himself, said this was a job that could only be done accurately by an experienced operative.
Size does matter
The root cause of the problem, he said - and he is far from the first to make this point - is that boats have far more capacity to catch tuna than they are legally allowed to.
Many Mediterranean fleets acquired new, more powerful purse seine boats in 2005-6; and having invested in them, owners now need to catch above quota to break even, he said.
"Let's say your vessel was conceived to catch 300 tonnes per year and break even at that point.
"If your quota has been cut and you are not able to catch 300 and sell at a given price, then overheads start eating your budget and you cannot make a profit.
"So you are bound to overfish. The best way is to catch 200 tonnes and declare 50 - then you can continue fishing."
This is a point picked up by Iccat's scientific advisers, who write: "While current controls appear sufficient to constrain the fleet to harvests at or below TAC, the Committee remains concerned that substantial excess capacity remains which could easily harvest catch volumes well in excess of the rebuilding strategy adopted by the Commission."
Pew's main recommendation is to change from a paper-based monitoring system to an electronic one.
That way, it believes, data will have to be properly entered (which is not always the case now), and algorithms can be established that will flag up potentially dodgy entries - such as a consignment that has apparently been fattened beyond feasible limits in ranches.
Iccat's member governments meet next in Turkey in mid-November.

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