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The Scottish Government is being urged to toughen up measures aimed at tackling escapes from salmon farms.

Bosses at Salmon Scotland and Fisheries Management Scotland have produced an agreement, which will result in payments being made towards conservation work in the event of farmed fish escaping.

But campaigners at the charity WildFish said the scheme has been drawn up as part of a “cosy deal” involving the sector, adding the penalties for escapes will be significantly less than in Norway.

Scotland director Nick Underdown said an incident where 35,000 salmon escaped from a farm in Norway had led to a fine of about £400,000 for the company involved.

But he added that, under the new system in Scotland, an incident like the one where 75,000 fish escaped from a farm in Loch Linnhe would have resulted in a maximum penalty of £50,000.

The aquaculture industry insists that escapes from salmon farms are “rare”, but says the agreement will establish a dedicated funding mechanism for conservation work after such incidents.

It comes as stocks of wild Atlantic salmon are in long-term decline in Scotland with escaped farmed fish part of the “significant conservation pressure” the species is facing.

Rural Affairs Secretary Gillian Martin welcomed the “leadership shown by Salmon Scotland and Fisheries Management Scotland to deliver positive change”, saying that this “demonstrates our collective commitment to supporting wild salmon”.

She added the scheme delivered on the ambition to have ring-fenced funds “to support conservation and research projects”.

But Mr Underdown said escaped farmed salmon “present an existential threat to the long-term survival of wild salmon”.

He said: “Proper regulation with draconian penalties for any breaches is the only way forward.

“This cosy deal bypasses statutory regulation and is an entirely inappropriate way to address environmental harms being caused by private companies in public waters.”

Branding the fines proposed as “paltry”, Mr Underdown said: “This system will provide no incentive to stop mass salmon escapes that dilute the gene pool of wild salmon.

“We will entreat the Scottish Government to strengthen these measures and put them on a statutory footing.”

However, Tavish Scott, chief executive of industry body, Salmon Scotland, said the arrangements are “a practical way to support wild salmon conservation when rare escape incidents occur”.

He said: “Wild salmon are part of Scotland’s identity, and salmon farmers will continue playing their part in supporting recovery efforts.”

Mr Scott added: “Our members continue to invest in wild fish conservation, as well as strengthened infrastructure and containment systems, as part of the ambition of zero escapes.”