Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said:
“We support regulation based on fact, evidence and sound science.
“The Scottish Government commissioned Professor Russel Griggs to conduct an independent regulatory assessment; his recommendations were all accepted by ministers and were for better, more streamlined regulation.
“Now the sector faces not that, but more regulation. Additionally for a new regulation, SEPA cannot explain how it will measure success.
“We support measures to address the decline in the population of wild salmon in Scottish waters. The Scottish Government has previously identified more than 40 pressures on wild salmon stocks, of which sea lice is just one. We are still waiting to see what government and its many agencies are going to do on the other identified pressures.
“The Salmon Scotland board meets next week and will consider the SEPA plan in full.”