Is a toxic blue-green algae bloom making Scottish salmon unfit for human consumption? And are the untreated waste effluents from salmon farms in Scotland contributing to harmful algal blooms (HABs)? These questions are now being asked in the wake of photo of a toxic blue-green algae bloom surrounding a salmon farm operated by 'Organic' Sea Harvest at Invertote near Staffin on the Isle of Skye.
The link between HABs and fish farming has long been established. UPI reported (8 June 2021):
New analysis of thousands of harmful algae blooms, or HABs, has revealed links between increases in the damage caused by algae blooms and human activities, including aquaculture development @UPI@UNESCOhttps://t.co/XBq2DrsIIW@SalmonChile@sernapesca@FAO
"The 7-year study by 109 scientists said the increase in coastal fish farms has been a key driver for disastrous economic impacts from harmful algal blooms....In fish farms, fish feed & waste materials are additional nutrients released into the sea" https://t.co/LLT0Aqit8c
"Increased use of coastal waters for aquaculture has been a key driver for occasionally disastrous, long-lasting economic impacts from HABs, in turn driving an awareness of new harmful algal species and new toxin types" @Naturehttps://t.co/3XfLDMXOYj
"In our opinion, it is very unlikely that fish farming should have a large-scale impact on the occurrence of harmful algal blooms, particularly on toxic algae, which are related to shellfish poisoning. Occurrence of such blooms, in general, appears to indicate that they are more common in pristine than in enriched waters and that they appear independently of fish farming activities. This does not mean that fish farming is a completely harmless activity: there is a coupling between excess nutrient loads and larger plankton production. In enclosed fjords, fish farming may contribute considerably to hypernutrification and changing nutrient ratios, particularly during summer."
Applecross Smokehouse's web-site claims that "Our Scottish Salmon is sourced from sustainable fisheries in the Scottish Highlands and is RSPCA Assured":
Applecross Smokehouse's web-site claims: "RSPCA Assured, (previously Freedom Food), is the RSPCA’s ethical food label dedicated to farmed animal welfare. Their vision is for all farmed animals to have a good life and to be treated with compassion and respect".
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Jun 23, 2021 at 11:25 AM Subject: Breach of Trading Standards To: <derrick@applecrosssmokehouse.co.uk>
The Applecross Smokehouse web-site claims that your farmed salmon is from "sustainable sources" and that your Smoked salmon is "is sourced from sustainable fisheries".
Surely this is a misleading consumer claim and a case for Trading Standards?
Mowi's boss in Scotland, Ben Hadfield, is raking the money in faster than Mowi can discharge toxic chemicals, allow mass escapes, spill diseased salmon on the road and dispose of a mountain of mortalities.
Don Staniford, director de la organización Scottish Salmon Watch: “La directora de @marinescotland fue sorprendida haciendo lobby no para el medioambiente marino, sino para el uso de un neonicotinoide peligroso para aguas escocesas” @InterferenciaCLhttps://t.co/Iz5JK0tNeh
Norwegian company seeks to commercialize in Chile a pesticide banned by the EU for being "very toxic" for aquatic life
Diego Ortiz 06/18/2021
Benchmark came to the country in 2020 to commercialize CleanTreat, a system for treating sea lice in salmon that caused a scandal in Scotland.
Eight days ago, the European Parliament voted against the use of the pesticide imidacloprid in salmon farms, present in CleanTreat, as it has a “devastating” impact on biodiversity. In mid-2020, the medium specialized in the salmon industry, Salmon Expert, announced the arrival in Chile of the area specialized in animal treatments of Benchmark, a Norwegian company of genetic products. However, a year after its arrival, its main technological bet, its star product, CleanTreat -chemicals and water purification and filtration systems- has just suffered a serious blow.
On June 9, the European Parliament chose to vote against setting a maximum residue level for the substance imidacloprid, a pesticide used in CleanTreat's chemical BMK08. By 441 votes in favor and 232 against, the Chamber of the European Union decided to ban the use of the substance in salmon farms. Imidacloprid was listed by Parliament as "dangerous for the environment" and "very toxic to aquatic life, with long-term effects". (Check here the resolution of the European Parliament).
The resolution explains that "there is increasing evidence that the use of imidacloprid has devastating effects on biodiversity, particularly in rivers and waterways, affecting not only crustaceans, mollusks and non-target species (insects), but also also land organisms, in addition to causing a decline in bird populations. ”In addition, they add that its use in Japan“ caused a dramatic collapse of fish populations ”, one that has“ not yet recovered ”.
"The use of imidacloprid has devastating effects on biodiversity, particularly in rivers and waterways, affecting not only crustaceans, mollusks and non-target species (insects), but also land organisms, in addition to causing a decline in bird populations ”, says the European Parliament.
The use of imidacloprid had already been banned in agriculture by the European Union, since it destroys bee populations.
Marketing in Chile and scandal in Scotland
Europe's determination has no effect on the Chilean industry, and the pesticide may be approved in the country. That is Benchmark Animal Health Chile's plan, at least according to the interview given by its general manager, Javier Moya, to Salmon Expert on June 1, 2020, who has already begun to promote the product among salmon farms established in Chile.
"The simplification of the company will accelerate the delivery of much-needed solutions to the market, including its next-generation sea lice treatment, BMK08 and the new CleanTreat system," Moya told the specialized media.
INTERFERENCIA contacted Sernapesca to find out whether or not the use of imidacloprid in Chilean salmon farms has been approved. The entity referred the query to the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), responsible for authorizing or prohibiting the use of these substances.
According to information published by the international Fish Farmer media, BMK08 - which includes the pesticide imidacloprid - is applied to salmon in conjunction with the CleanTreat system, which acts as a purifier removing chemical residues from the water. But any leak could be catastrophic for the ecosystem.
In an interview with the British medium The Guardian, the professor of biology at the University of Sussex, Dave Goulson, explained that the chemicals used in BMK08 "are like novichok but for insects", a nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union cataloged as of the most deadly. "It takes a billionth of a gram to harm aquatic life, so even the smallest traces would have a huge impact on marine life," he said. (Check here the article Banned pesticide accused of killing bees can be approved for fish farms from The Guardian).
Goulson's words were published in the context of a political scandal in Scotland - a salmon-producing country, but not a member of the EU after the UK's Brexit - by a previous article in the investigative outlet The Ferret. Through the publication of emails obtained by the Scottish transparency law, British journalists revealed that the director of the agency in charge of supervising the fisheries, Annabel Turpie, lobbied for the approval of CleanTreat and the use of imidacloprid.
Specifically, The Ferret revealed a series of emails obtained through a transparency law by environmentalist Don Staniford, where Annabel Turpie, director of Marine Scotland - the Scottish government agency in charge of fisheries - explains that “we will help collaborate with SEPA (Environmental Protection Agency Scotland) and MSS (Marine Scotland Science) in CleanTreat technology ”. (Check out The Ferret's research here).
The Scottish regulatory authority emails acknowledging helping CleanTeach mention that such technology will be taken to an existing location "for approval".
According to a later article in The Guardian, in the emails Turpie claims to be "aware that the intention is for CleanTreat to be presented in the second half of the year, assuming regulatory approval", with an "expectation" that Benchmark, the company Norway, which arrived in Chile in 2020 and manufacturer of CleanTreat, will take the system to an existing site “for approval”. Later, the director of Marine Scotland indicated that the company's technology would receive a “welcome consideration”.
In conversation with INTERFERENCIA, Don Staniford, director of the Scottish Salmon Watch organization and who obtained the Turpie emails, described the lobbying exercised by the Scottish government representative as "shameful". "The director of Marine Scotland was caught lobbying not for the marine environment, but for the use of a dangerous neonicotinoid for Scottish waters."
The director of Scottish Salmon Watch and author of the book Silent Spring of the Sea explained that "Norwegian companies have been found guilty of importing the deadly salmon anemia to Chile", so he hopes that the Chilean government "can strongly oppose the use of imidacloprid and send it back to Norway ”.
Dave Goulson explained that Imidacloprid resembles Novichok, a nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union considered to be one of the most deadly that exists. "It takes a billionth of a gram to harm aquatic life" @DaveGoulson@El_Ciudadano@WeAreBenchmarkhttps://t.co/TiEibT4z4M
Scottish Salmon Watch notified Scottish Ministers on the newspaper coverage in Chile:
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Mon, Jun 21, 2021 at 10:12 AM Subject: "Shameful" Marine Scotland reports Chilean newspaper on use of banned neonicotinoid in Scottish salmon farming To: <scottish.ministers@gov.scot>, Fergus Ewing <Fergus.Ewing.msp@scottish.parliament.uk>, <Mairi.McAllan.msp@parliament.scot>, Gougeon M (Mairi), MSP <Mairi.Gougeon.msp@parliament.scot>, MSP <Ben.Macpherson.msp@parliament.scot>, Forbes K (Kate), MSP <Kate.Forbes.msp@parliament.scot>, MSP <Roseanna.Cunningham.msp@parliament.scot>, <directormarinescotland@gov.scot> Cc: <Neil.Purvis@gov.scot>, <Alastair.Mitchell@gov.scot>, Ruskell M (Mark), MSP <Mark.Ruskell.msp@parliament.scot>, Beamish C (Claudia), MSP <Claudia.Beamish.msp@parliament.scot>, EnvironmentClimateChangeandLandReformcommittee <ecclr.committee@parliament.scot>, Mountain E (Edward), MSP <Edward.Mountain.msp@parliament.scot>, Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee <rec.committee@parliament.scot>, Ahearn, Terry <terry.ahearn@sepa.org.uk>, Pollard, Peter <peter.pollard@sepa.org.uk>, Media <publicrelations@sepa.org.uk>
Please note that the Chilean newspaper reported on Friday (18 June 2021) on the Scottish Government's support for the use of the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid - dubbed 'Novichok for insects' - in salmon farming in Scotland:
The article in the newspaper Interferencia includes:
Annabel Turpie, directora de Marine Scotland – agencia gubernamental escocesa encargada de las pesqueras– explica que “ayudaremos a colaborar con SEPA (Agencia de Protección Ambiental de Escocia) y MSS (Marine Scotland Science) en la tecnología CleanTreat”.
Turpie asegura estar "consciente de que la intención es que CleanTreat se presente en la segunda mitad del año, asumiendo la aprobación regulatoria", habiendo una “expectativa” de que Benchmark, la empresa noruega que arribó a Chile en 2020 y fabricante de CleanTreat, llevara el sistema a un sitio existente “para su aprobación”. Más adelante, la directora de Marine Scotland indicó que la tecnología de la empresa recibiría una “bienvenida consideración”.
Turpie, catalogó de “vergonzoso” el lobby ejercido por la representante del gobierno escocés. “La directora de Marine Scotland fue sorprendida haciendo lobby no para el medioambiente marino, sino para el uso de un neonicotinoide peligroso para aguas escocesas”.
Scottish Salmon Watch also reported last week (17 June 2021) on how the Norwegian Government's Directorate of Fisheries had supported clinical field trials of D-10 Aquatic Blast (Imidacloprid) at two salmon farms in Norway. FOI requests filed with various Norwegian Government agencies and salmon farming companies (who are subject to the Environmental Information Act in Norway) cited an email from a Member of the Scottish Parliament (the sender's name was redacted but it is understood to be sent by Fergus Ewing who is seen bullying/lobbying for the use of Imidacloprid in Scottish waters):
Marine Scotland’s director, Annabel Turpie, has backed a treatment system for farmed fish designed to use a pesticide with “potentially devastating consequences for marine life”.https://t.co/kCHxUc4YBC
A video urging investors to support the use of D-10 Aquatic Blast (the active ingredient was not named but it is understood to be Imidacloprid) in salmon farming in New Brunswick, Canada, was published on You Tube in 2014:
Benchmark's patent for use of the toxic neonicotinoid insecticide Imidacloprid in salmon farming concedes it is a "potentially hazardous agent in the field" & that "leakage" can occur with "loss of agent in the environment" https://t.co/QfeF31RAiM@WeAreBenchmark@FerdOwnerpic.twitter.com/IPjorjqtmO
Fish Farmer reported in February 2020 that field trials of BMK08 (Imidacloprid) had taken place in Norway "over the last 24 months" involving five salmon farms and 35,000 tonnes of farmed salmon.
Mowi's request to the ASC inadvertently prompted the public revelation in March 2020 that Ectosan (then re-named by Benchmark as BMK08) was in fact Imidacloprid.
Campaigners fear that a nicotine pesticide that the fish farming industry and the Scottish Government want to trial in Scotland could threaten marine wildlife.https://t.co/bw5IBgTwqi
Here's a FOI request filed yesterday (16 June 2021) with the Norwegian Government's Directorate of Fisheries (similar FOI requests were also sent to other Norwegian Government agencies as well as salmon farming companies including Mowi, Leroy, SalMar and Grieg Seafood - read online here):
From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Jun 16, 2021 at 12:36 PM Subject: Fwd: FOI re. Benchmark's CleanTreat & Ectosan/BMK08/Imidacloprid since 1 January 2016 (Innsynsrett & Miljøinformasjonsloven) To: Postmottak <postmottak@fiskeridir.no>
Please consider this a formal request for Information and request for environmental information under the relevant Norwegian legislation.
Please provide information on Benchmark's CleanTreat water purification system including field trials and any commercial use of Imidacloprid (marketed as Ectosan in 2017 and then re-named BMK08 in 2019 before being revealed in March 2020 as the toxic neonicotinoid Imidacloprid - prior to 2017 it could have been called D10-Aquatic Blast or another secret trade name) since 1 January 2016.
Please therefore include in your FOI reply any documentation (e.g. emails, letters and other information) relating to the use - via field trials and other methods - of Imidacloprid since 1 January 2016.
Please include any environmental risk assessments, residue studies, ecological surveys, benthic impact research, water quality testing and any other environmental impact information even if heavily redacted.
Please include any results of field trials, testing, assessment and any other information submitted by Benchmark, Mowi, Leroy and other salmon farming companies.
Please include information on any discussions with the European Medicines Agency, the Scottish Government, Benchmark, Mowi and other salmon farming companies in relation to the use of CleanTreat and Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan - or any other name used by Benchmark or another company) since 1 January 2016.
Please include any discussions with respect to an MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) of Imidacloprid in the flesh of farmed salmon and the recent European Parliamentary opposition.
Information about clinical trials with veterinary medicinal products, performed by pharmaceutical industry, is considered to be confidential information. According to the Norwegian act on medicinal products §30 the NoMA is not allowed to disclose information that is considered commercially sensitive. We can therefore not disclose whether permission to perform clinical trials with imidacloprid has been granted.
Right of appeal
You can appeal against this decision within 3 weeks after you have received this e-mail. The right to appeal is founded on the Public Administration Act, chapter 6 (VI).
An appeal should be sent to The Norwegian Medicines Authority. If we do not take the appeal into account, the appeal is forwarded to the Ministry of Health and Care Services.
Your appeal can be put forward as an e-mail/letter or using the form found on www.legemiddelverket.no. Choose the English version, and then the link “Appeal against an Administrative decision”.
However, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency have been forced to disclose "commercially confidential" information on CleanTreat and Imidacloprid (Ectosan/BMK08); namely:
A FOI disclosure by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to Scottish Salmon Watch on 7 June 2021 included:
Minutes of a meeting between Benchmark, the Scottish Government, SEPA and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in April 2019:
Here's another email obtained from SEPA via FOI on 7 June 2021 which references field trials in Norway:
Another email disclosed by SEPA via FOI on 7 June 2021 includes a timeline in relation to the use of CleanTreat with Ectosan (Imidacloprid/BMK08) since permission was granted for the first field trial in Norway in November 2016:
The above email states that the Norwegian field trials of Imidacloprid "were permitted in Norway with a level of discharge that appears to be above the EQS" [Environmental Quality Standard] which Scottish Salmon Watch suspects may breach EU law.
In any case, Scottish Salmon Watch is therefore asking for transparency and clarification from the Norwegian Government in relation to Imidacloprid use in salmon farming.
The Ferret reported last month (21 May 2021): "We are currently focused on launching our new sea lice solution, BMK08 and CleanTreat, in Norway".
You should be aware of recent opposition by the European Parliament to the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming - including specific mention of the lack of transparency:
Intrafish reported (13 June 2021): "The commercial launch remains subject to marketing authorization in Norway. Though Norway is not a member of the EU, it is part of the European Medicines Agency, and follows its approval processes closely"
Please provide a receipt/acknowledgment for this FOI request.
Please provide the information electronically.
If you need clarification please do not hesitate to contact me.
Scottish Salmon Watch honestly believes that Benchmark is guilty of misrepresentation and non-disclosure in relation to BMK08/Ectosan. Benchmark has patently failed to inform shareholders, investors, the public, the stock exchange and the media that BMK08/Ectosan is in fact the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid.
For example:
- Benchmark's main web-page omits to mention the fact that BMK08 is imidacloprid:
- When Benchmark first marketed Imidacloprid in December 2017 it was hidden behind the trade name Ectosan with the claim that it had "no environmental impact":
- In November 2019, Benchmark re-named Ectosan as BMK08 but still failed to disclose the fact that it was the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid and claiming that it had "zero environmental impact" with regulatory approval expected in late 2020:
- On 20 March 2020, Benchmark first disclosed that BMK08 was Imidacloprid (this appears to be the only time and public statement from Benchmark admitting that Ectosan/BMK08 was Imidacloprid):
- A regulatory update by Benchmark in September 2020 failed to disclose the fact that BMK08 is Imidacloprid and claimed that the banned neonicotinoid was "safe to use":
- A regulatory update by Benchmark in March 2021 failed to disclose BMK08 was Imidacloprid suggesting that the product was environmentally friendly and sustainable:
- A regulatory update by Benchmark in April 2021 not only failed to disclose BMK08 as Imidacloprid but wrongly stated that an MRL "has now been ratified under EU law":
Scottish Salmon Watch therefore questions whether Benchmark has breached any financial reporting and disclosure requirements.
Certainly, Scottish Salmon Watch believes that Benchmark misled the financial market - including the London Stock Exchange - in a press release issued on 16 April 2021 (see enclosed below along with an email to Benchmark).
Just yesterday the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety voted in support of a motion objecting to an MRL for the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming with a vote expected in the European Parliament's plenary next month:
If, as expected, the European Parliament and European Commission outlaw the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming then the financial impact on Benchmark will be crippling and may blow BMK08 out of the water completely not only in Scotland but also in Norway, Chile and Canada.
It is certainly too early to claim, as Benchmark did last month to investors, that BMK08 had already been "ratified by EU law". Indeed, it is a very real prospect that BMK08 (Imidacloprid) will be outlawed by the EU and banned for use in salmon farming as it is already for terrestrial agriculture.
Meanwhile, Benchmark continues to mislead investors and the media that BMK08 is close to commercial launch (again failing to disclose the alarming fact that BMK08 is the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid and public opposition to neonicotinoids is growing):
We invite Benchmark - copied in here - to explain why they have misled the financial community and to come clean on their planned use of a banned neonicotinoid which is clearly neither an environmentally friendly option nor a palatable prospect for the public.
Finally, we invite the financial community to investigate whether Benchmark is guilty of non-disclosure and deceptive financial statements.
Further information on this controversial and toxic issue is available via:
Don Staniford of Scottish Salmon Watch said in a complaint: “Benchmark has patently failed to inform shareholders, investors, the public, the stock exchange and the media that BMK08/Ectosan is in fact the banned neonicotinoid imidacloprid” @WeAreBenchmarkhttps://t.co/QdlU7Q8mlRpic.twitter.com/rwC1K7sIdA
It seems that high-end retailer M&S has finally reached the bottom of the barrel of any last remaining stocks of 'Lochmuir' salmon following pressure from campaign groups. Feedback reported in December 2019:
Marks & Spencer Tweeted in December 2019 that "we’re phasing out the Lochmuir brand on all our salmon packs in favour of our Responsible Sourcing pledge to customers".
Hi Ewan, we developed the Lochmuir brand in 2006 to recognise our high welfare and environmental standards for salmon. However, we’re phasing out the Lochmuir brand on all our salmon packs in favour of our Responsible Sourcing pledge to customers. 1/2
We publish all our fish and seafood suppliers on our interactive supplier map, which includes their locations, fishing methods and certification details > https://t.co/IvaIXaNvBQ Thanks, Matt. 2/2
Judging by M&S's labelling of Scottish salmon in May 2021 - the Lochmuir branding has been removed completely in favour of RSPCA Assured - the phasing out of Lochmuir looks more or less complete.
It seems that Lochmuir salmon is now even more difficult to find with the phase out by M&S almost complete. For example, Lochmuir salmon is listed as "currently unavailable" via Amazon online (as of 18 May 2021):
How many morts have been removed and how many RSPCA Assured sick fish have been harvested? Have the sick fish been sold as 'Lochmuir' salmon via Marks & Spencer?
The Ferret reported earlier this month (8 June 2021) that Police Scotland were investigating a report from a whistleblower of a seal shot at a salmon farm (revealed by Scottish Salmon Watch to be at Scottish Sea Farms' RSPCA Assured Loch Spelve salmon salmon farm).
Don Staniford, Director of Scottish Salmon Watch, said:
"M&S must be congratulated for dropping their fake Lochmuir branding but surely they should drop farmed salmon altogether? Rebranding as RSPCA Assured 'responsibly sourced' salmon is like leaping out of the frying pan into the fire. RSPCA Assured salmon is a welfare nightmare and should be avoided like the proverbial plague. Consumers have a right to know the awful truth about how factory farmed salmon reach their plates. M&S is still duping customers by their false claims of high welfare standards and 'responsible' sourcing."
"As you know I attended the MOWI AGM in Bergen last week. With my one share I voted against the suggested payment of dividend. The chairman allowed me explain why I voted against this. I told the AGM that I did not think they did nearly enough to protect the environment and that more money should be spent on protecting Nature. I was the only shareholder attending. Alexandra asked me to give a copy of her book 'Not on My Watch' to MOWI's chairman Ole-Eirik Lerøy. After the AGM was finished, I presented him with copy of her book. He confirmed that he had not read the book, but promised to do so."
Today Frederik W Mowinckel presented my book to #Mowi chairman, Ole-Erik Lerøy at the Mowi AGM in Bergen, Norway. He promised that he would read it...
NO to MOWI. Members of the Mowinckel family have at the EGM today voted against Marine Harvest’s plans to change its name to MOWI. We do not wish be associated with what we consider an unsustainable way of farming salmon. Completely closed farms is the only way forward.
Frederick W. Mowinckel is a passionate advocate of wild salmon and has previously spoken out against salmon farming. The Financial Times reported in 2013:
More details on Alexandra Morton's new book 'Not On My Watch' online here
“I am part of the #resistance movement against #extinction. The movement spans the globe. We are a force of nature. Like a #river, we well up, slip around, bore through and dive under obstacles. We don’t stop.
Buy a copy of 'Not On My Watch' by Alexandra Morton online here
Alexandra Morton: "I try to be strategically nimble so that I can respond to the shape & direction of the wave. I have intentionally kept my voice free from big institutions so the opposition can’t find & cut off my supply line" https://t.co/K324ELx9pb@alex4salmon@PenguinBooks
"Anyone visiting the four museums when they reopen will notice that farmed salmon has been banished entirely from its cafes and restaurants" @Tatehttps://t.co/bVjSq41j8M@MSNBC@CookingSections Please join the global boycott against farmed salmon!
Listen to the BBC Food Programme's expose of artificial colourings in Scottish 'pharmed' salmon online here via BBC iPlayer (starts at 16 mins 58 secs - available for over a year)
For those without access to BBC iPlayer the fishy feature can be listened to online here
"If all this weren’t enough to make you think again about what you’re cooking for dinner, Schwabe and Pascual discovered that industrial fish farmers use a special colour swatch called the SalmoFan to customise their product" https://t.co/pweB5f0erP@DSM@Roche@CookingSectionspic.twitter.com/OifjcRKCXv
"Farmed salmon without colourants being added to its feed would be completely grey," said Corin Smith of Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots. "To the extent that salmon farmers can acutally select from a colour chart - much like you get when you're painting your house - you can select the pinkness of the salmon that you're going to produce. So it wouldn't be for me to say but it does seem like people are eating grey fish which has been painted pink."
Don Staniford of Scottish Salmon Watch said in a complaint: “Benchmark has patently failed to inform shareholders, investors, the public, the stock exchange and the media that BMK08/Ectosan is in fact the banned neonicotinoid imidacloprid” @WeAreBenchmarkhttps://t.co/QdlU7Q8mlRpic.twitter.com/rwC1K7sIdA
Anti-salmon farming activist Don Staniford said the EU’s opposition to imidacloprid “effectively kills any use of BMK08 by companies such as Mowi in Scotland as Europe is such a key market for Scottish salmon” @salmonfarming1@WeAreBenchmark@FerdOwnerhttps://t.co/VFynHTLqY1
Grace O'Sullivan MEP Calls on European Union to Ban Toxic Pesticide Use in Salmon Farming in Key Vote
A resolution by Green MEP for Ireland South, Grace O'Sullivan, calling on the Commission to block the use of a toxic neonicotinoid in the EU's fish farms will be voted this week by the European Parliament.
The Imidacloprid pesticide is already banned in the EU for certain agricultural uses on land, and has been linked to biodiversity loss and a decline in bee populations. There is mounting evidence that the use of this neonicotinoid has a devastating impact on rivers and waterways and its use in Japan has been linked to a dramatic collapse of fish stocks. Despite this, the European Commission is proposing to establish a Maximum Residue Level for Imidacloprid, which will clear the way for the pesticide's use in EU aquaculture as a treatment for sea lice.
Speaking prior to the vote today, Grace O'Sullivan said "We need to put a stop to the use of dangerous neonicotinoids in fish farming. We know that this chemical has devastating impacts on the environment and biodiversity. For this very reason the EU already banned its use on certain crops, a decision more recently upheld by the European Court of Justice. We won't accept the use of Imidacloprid on crops, and we won't accept it in our marine environment either."
The Resolution was passed by the Committee on the Environment, Food Safety and Public Health by 49 votes to 27, with two abstentions, and will be voted on by the European Parliament on Wednesday 9 June at 12:45 CET.
"We need to put a stop to the use of dangerous neonicotinoids in fish farming. We know that this chemical has devastating impacts on biodiversity. We won't accept the use of Imidacloprid on crops & we won't accept it in our marine environment" @GraceOSllvnhttps://t.co/TspPGvVQXdpic.twitter.com/qsxVGGMXXK
Don Staniford, Director of Scottish Salmon Watch, said in response to the European Parliament's objection to Imidacloprid:
"The use of Imidacloprid - dubbed 'Novichok for insects' - in salmon farming in Scotland is now dead in the water. Salmon farming is Scotland's 'Silent Spring of the Sea' with a lethal cocktail of toxic chemicals such as Azamethiphos, Emamectin benzoate, Deltamethrin, Hydrogen peroxide and Formaldehyde already flooding Scottish waters. The European Parliament's opposition to Imidacloprid - banned for use in terrestrial agriculture in 2018 - effectively kills any use of BMK08/Ectosan (Imidacloprid) by companies such as Mowi in Scotland as Europe is such a key market for Scottish salmon. Serious questions must now be asked of Benchmark's lack of disclosure to investors and the stock market."
In simple words, fish farms want to use bee killer to kill sea lice, the EU worries that folk eating salmon will get a dose too, as will any aquatic life if there’s a spill. That’s on top of any antibiotics already in your lunchtime sandwich. https://t.co/BuG8frCGDL
— Günther Dauwen 🏴🇪🇺🎗 (@GDauwen) June 10, 2021
Scottish Salmon Watch wrote this morning to the London Stock Exchange (where Benchmark is floated) and the Financial Conduct Authority:
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Thu, Jun 10, 2021 at 9:17 AM Subject: EP votes against MRL for Imidacloprid (BMK08) in farmed salmon - Benchmark loses access to key market To: Customer Contact Centre <consumer.queries@fca.org.uk>, AIM Regulation <aimregulation@lseg.com> Cc: <info@benchmarkplc.com>, Rachel Aninakwah <rachel.aninakwah@bmkholdings.com>
Surely Benchmark (copied in here) must now disclose to investors how their BMK08 (Imidacloprid) is now dead in the water for use in farmed salmon destined for Europe (a significant market)?
Scottish Salmon Watch honestly believes that Benchmark is guilty of misrepresentation and non-disclosure in relation to BMK08/Ectosan. Benchmark has patently failed to inform shareholders, investors, the public, the stock exchange and the media that BMK08/Ectosan is in fact the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid.
For example:
- Benchmark's main web-page omits to mention the fact that BMK08 is imidacloprid:
- When Benchmark first marketed Imidacloprid in December 2017 it was hidden behind the trade name Ectosan with the claim that it had "no environmental impact":
- In November 2019, Benchmark re-named Ectosan as BMK08 but still failed to disclose the fact that it was the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid and claiming that it had "zero environmental impact" with regulatory approval expected in late 2020:
- On 20 March 2020, Benchmark first disclosed that BMK08 was Imidacloprid (this appears to be the only time and public statement from Benchmark admitting that Ectosan/BMK08 was Imidacloprid):
- A regulatory update by Benchmark in September 2020 failed to disclose the fact that BMK08 is Imidacloprid and claimed that the banned neonicotinoid was "safe to use":
- A regulatory update by Benchmark in March 2021 failed to disclose BMK08 was Imidacloprid suggesting that the product was environmentally friendly and sustainable:
- A regulatory update by Benchmark in April 2021 not only failed to disclose BMK08 as Imidacloprid but wrongly stated that an MRL "has now been ratified under EU law":
Scottish Salmon Watch therefore questions whether Benchmark has breached any financial reporting and disclosure requirements.
Certainly, Scottish Salmon Watch believes that Benchmark misled the financial market - including the London Stock Exchange - in a press release issued on 16 April 2021 (see enclosed below along with an email to Benchmark).
Just yesterday the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety voted in support of a motion objecting to an MRL for the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming with a vote expected in the European Parliament's plenary next month:
If, as expected, the European Parliament and European Commission outlaw the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming then the financial impact on Benchmark will be crippling and may blow BMK08 out of the water completely not only in Scotland but also in Norway, Chile and Canada.
It is certainly too early to claim, as Benchmark did last month to investors, that BMK08 had already been "ratified by EU law". Indeed, it is a very real prospect that BMK08 (Imidacloprid) will be outlawed by the EU and banned for use in salmon farming as it is already for terrestrial agriculture.
Meanwhile, Benchmark continues to mislead investors and the media that BMK08 is close to commercial launch (again failing to disclose the alarming fact that BMK08 is the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid and public opposition to neonicotinoids is growing):
We invite Benchmark - copied in here - to explain why they have misled the financial community and to come clean on their planned use of a banned neonicotinoid which is clearly neither an environmentally friendly option nor a palatable prospect for the public.
Finally, we invite the financial community to investigate whether Benchmark is guilty of non-disclosure and deceptive financial statements.
Further information on this controversial and toxic issue is available via:
Wave of European Opposition to Benchmark's Imidacloprid (BMK08) - the tide turns against neonicotinoids in salmon pharming!https://t.co/NwAcL440Mo A motion against Imidacloprid was adopted yesterday (28 May 2021) by the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment #BMK08pic.twitter.com/cU2nERnWWU
"It’s like the wild west" said @DaveGoulson "These chemicals are incredibly poisonous – the novichok for insects. It takes a billionth of a gram to harm aquatic life, so even tiny traces would have major impacts on marine life" @guardian@WeAreBenchmarkhttps://t.co/OzouYaXCEk
Marine Scotland’s director, Annabel Turpie, has backed a treatment system for farmed fish designed to use a pesticide with “potentially devastating consequences for marine life”.https://t.co/kCHxUc4YBC
In April 2021, Scottish Salmon Watch wrote to Benchmark questioning the accuracy of the claim that BMK08 (Imidacloprid) had been "ratified under EU law".
Could you please clarify your claim in Benchmark's press release on Friday (see below)?
Namely:
"Benchmark Holdings is pleased to announce that the MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) for its novel sea lice treatment BMK08 has now been ratified under European Law".
How and where has an MRL for Imidacloprid (BMK08) "now been ratified under European Law"?
Please provide the documentation to corroborate this claim.
Scottish Salmon Watch understands from dialogue with a contact in Brussels that Benchmark has jumped the gun on this one and your claim is incorrect.
Clarification by the end of the day would therefore be much appreciated.
Could you please clarify your claim in Benchmark's press release on Friday (see below)?
Namely:
"Benchmark Holdings is pleased to announce that the MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) for its novel sea lice treatment BMK08 has now been ratified under European Law".
How and where has an MRL for Imidacloprid (BMK08) "now been ratified under European Law"?
Please provide the documentation to corroborate this claim.
Scottish Salmon Watch understands from dialogue with a contact in Brussels that Benchmark has jumped the gun on this one and your claim is incorrect.
Clarification by the end of the day would therefore be much appreciated.
From: Benchmark Holdings<mailservice@euroland.com> Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2021 at 11:04 Subject: Benchmark Holdings - BMK08+CleanTreat Update To:
RNS Number : 7421V
Benchmark Holdings PLC
16 April 2021
16 April 2021
Benchmark Holdings
("Benchmark" or the "Company")
BMK08+CleanTreatÒ Update
Ratification of Maximum Residue Limit under European Law
Significant milestone towards the commercialisation of BMK08 and CleanTreatÒ
Further to the notification made on 10 September 2020, Benchmark Holdings is pleased to announce that the MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) for its novel sea lice treatment BMK08 has now been ratified under European Law. The MRL confirms the safety of Benchmark's sea lice solution for consumers and represents a significant milestone in the regulatory approval process towards the anticipated commercial launch of BMK08 and CleanTreatÒ in Norway. The commercial launch remains subject to the grant of a Marketing Authorisation in Norway.
BMK08 and CleanTreatÒ is a transformational solution addressing the biggest biological challenge in salmon farming. The MRL EU ratification is the culmination of almost a decade of research and development, a rigorous trial programme and substantial capital investment by Benchmark.
Trond Williksen, CEO, commented:
"The ratification of the MRL is a further stepping stone towards commercialisation following the announcement of our first customer agreements for CleanTreatâ announced in March.
Sea lice continues to be the biggest biological challenge for salmon producers and Benchmark's novel solution addresses this challenge in a sustainable way both in terms of animal welfare and environmental impact."
In March 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch and The Ferret revealed that BMk08 (formerly marketed by Benchmark as 'Ectosan') was the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid.
Campaigners fear that a nicotine pesticide that the fish farming industry and the Scottish Government want to trial in Scotland could threaten marine wildlife.https://t.co/bw5IBgTwqi
In May 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch revealed that Mowi had lobbied the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to support a field trial of Imidacloprid (Ectosan) in Loch Ailort.
Dr Denise Risch: “Our study highlights that noise pollution from ADDs has been widespread on the Scottish west coast. Alternative solutions such as the use of more robust netting material do exist and have been proven successful in reducing seal predation"https://t.co/YSpQlm0VPX
Salmon farmers and Scottish Government officials have had years to heed the clarion calls to switch off noisy ADDs on salmon farms. The Ferret and The Sunday Herald reported in May 2017:
Our results make evident that noise from ADDs can propagate far beyond the immediate vicinity of aquaculture sites and ADD noise ensonified over 11.8% of the Scottish west coast study area (4/7) pic.twitter.com/fWYQH1BW3A
Greater than 23% of the Inner Hebrides and Minches Harbour Porpoise Special Area of Conservation was ensonified by ADD noise exceeding levels defined for Temporary Threshold Shifts (TTS) by the NMFS (2018) (6/7) pic.twitter.com/JaPmBEwCjk
"This study highlights the potential for auditory impairment from ADD noise to non-target species such as harbour porpoises, at distances exceeding 28 km from aquaculture sites" https://t.co/8coPVZkLFH Salmon farming harms wildlife! pic.twitter.com/EJfW91Rst0
Wave of European Opposition to Benchmark's Imidacloprid (BMK08) - the tide turns against neonicotinoids in salmon pharming!https://t.co/NwAcL440Mo A motion against Imidacloprid was adopted yesterday (28 May 2021) by the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment #BMK08pic.twitter.com/cU2nERnWWU
"It’s like the wild west" said @DaveGoulson "These chemicals are incredibly poisonous – the novichok for insects. It takes a billionth of a gram to harm aquatic life, so even tiny traces would have major impacts on marine life" @guardian@WeAreBenchmarkhttps://t.co/OzouYaXCEk
Did you check under the salmon farm in Loch Spelve for the body? Or maybe the carcass was weighed down by heavy chains? Or was the dead seal wrapped in plastic and dumped off site? pic.twitter.com/dRVexivkHs
How do you protect your RSPCA Assured salmon since it is now illegal to kills seals? Does your Loch Spelve salmon farm have anti-predator nets? How many seals have you shot & killed since 31 January 2021 when it became illegal to kill seals?https://t.co/64dNCuCC3Zpic.twitter.com/x4incJbHyS
Here's the back-story behind a BBC News story - detailing how a lobbyist at the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) persuaded the BBC to ditch a photo daring to show secret filming at a salmon farm.
"This activist was doing an illegal and unsafe job," claimed Nathan Tyler of the SSPO in an email on Friday morning (28 May 2021) to Getty Images after the BBC published a news story accompanied by the offending photo. Here's the contact details Nathan gave:
"We received a call from a representative of a Scottish salmon company," said Getty Images in an email on Friday morning. "It is not happy with the information on these images. They are requesting more precise details".
"The photographs in question shows activist(s) from Scottish Salmon Watch mounting an operation at a salmon farm in Scotland. I attended this as an editorial photographer and my captioning reflects what I saw and photographed. I am not in a position to comment as to the legality or otherwise of what the activist(s) were doing. My photography of this was legitimate news gathering. I believe that I did not break any laws in taking these photographs and I will defend robustly any suggestion to the contrary and anything which tarnishes my reputation as a professional photographer which I have built up over the past 30 years. I suggest the complainant takes up his case with the people I photographed. In the meantime, I will not be changing any of the captions as they are entirely accurate. I take it this is the reason the BBC removed my images as illustration from the article online this morning?"
Here's the video footage which Mowi and the SSPO does not want the public to see.
The SSPO are well connected when it comes to television. Fish Farmer reported in August 2019.
It is not known if the SSPO chairman was involved in various BBC investigations of salmon farms including BBC Panorama, BBC Countryfile and the BBC One Show - which included secret video footage shot inside salmon farms.
“The reports on Sepa indicate that there are hundreds of tonnes of fish dying in these sites. Last week we saw a load of 26 tonnes heading down to Uist to get buried. It’s just incredible the amount of dead fish coming out of these sites.”
“The authorities have turned a blind eye to the continued dumping of diseased farmed salmon in landfill for well over a decade,” said Staniford. “Scotland’s secret salmon graveyard stinks to high heaven & must be shut down now” @thetimes@GreenerScotlandhttps://t.co/PUxDL1BKl1
There are so many bad stories about Scottish salmon that even with a team of highly paid lobbyists it is impossible to bury all the bad news. BBC News reported (26 May 2021):
The SSPO and their members including Scottish Sea Farms and Mowi want campaigners and photographers to stay away from their farms even though there is little legal basis to do so. In January 2020, Norwegian-owned Mowi warned "activists" against coming close to salmon farms. "As activists continue to sidestep the democratic process in favour of interrupting work spaces, governments must step up to protect the health and safety of employees working within the laws of the country," wrote Mowi Scotland's Director of Communications in Fish Farmer magazine (16 January 2020).
Mowi Scotland: "will be forced to take further action unless you co-operate with its requests & desist from further unauthorised access....no choice but to take steps to protect the Company’s Sites, and its rights in relation thereto, through the courts" https://t.co/TRIgbdBz1qpic.twitter.com/PNZpWmva3f
Scottish Salmon Watch will continue to conduct secret filming inside salmon farms and will continue to lift the lid on disease-ridden salmon farms - and very much welcomes photographers like Colin McPherson to join us on our safe and perfectly legal investigations in public waters and in public places.
It seems that salmon farm workers are more interested in drinking beer than in upholding fish welfare laws.
Sunday evening, Tobermory, The Magnificent 7 (yes, 7, not 6) Mowi guys off on a jolly. No social distancing and obv. not a "dry" boat! You can't see the beers the others were clutching. They must be in the same support bubble! pic.twitter.com/5dowZM6qtg
From: BBC Complaints<bbc_complaints_website@contact.bbc.co.uk> Date: Thu, May 20, 2021 at 10:07 AM Subject: BBC Complaints - Case number CAS-6694812-X3J2F1 To: Donald Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Reference CAS-6694812-X3J2F1
Dear Mr Staniford
Thank you for getting in touch about The Nine broadcast on 6 April 2021. We know people appreciate a prompt response and unfortunately we’ve taken longer to reply than usual – please accept our apologies.
Having now discussed your concerns with the production team, we are satisfied that both you and Tavish Scott were given appropriate and fair opportunities on the programme. You were both able to offer your views and challenge points being made.
We believe our presenter, Martin Geissler, controlled the discussion - one that was heated throughout - very well. We are satisfied you were afforded an extensive opportunity to respond during the programme.
Thank you, once again, for taking the time to contact us.
Thankfully, the BBC has not always allowed itself to be kowtowed, bullied, lobbied and manipulated by the Norwegian Salmafia.
The BBC has even featured "extreme activists" much to the chagrin of lobbyists like Nathan Tyler, Tavish Scott and Hamish Macdonell.
The BBC has even published photos which the salmon farming lobby does not like. BBC News reported in 2008:
No amount of lobbying and behind the scences salmon shenanigins can stop the truth coming out about the disease-ridden salmon farming industry - honesty is always the best policy!
So the next time you read a story - or maybe more importantly, don't read a story - the fingerprints of lobbyists at 'Scottish' Salmon will have been all over it.
Wave of European Opposition to Benchmark's Imidacloprid (BMK08) - the tide turns against neonicotinoids in salmon pharming!https://t.co/NwAcL440Mo A motion against Imidacloprid was adopted yesterday (28 May 2021) by the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment #BMK08pic.twitter.com/cU2nERnWWU
Scottish Salmon Watch wrote earlier today (29 May 2021) to the London Stock Exchange and investors in Benchmark to correct the information issued by Benchmark on 16 April 2021.
Here's our email:
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Sat, May 29, 2021 at 12:38 PM Subject: Misleading financial starements by Benchmark re. BMK08 (Imidacloprid) To: <newsroom@lseg.com>, <firm.queries@fca.org.uk> Cc: Rachel Aninakwah <rachel.aninakwah@bmkholdings.com>, <nfo@benchmarkplc.com>, <benchmark@mhpc.com>
Scottish Salmon Watch honestly believes that Benchmark is guilty of misrepresentation and non-disclosure in relation to BMK08/Ectosan. Benchmark has patently failed to inform shareholders, investors, the public, the stock exchange and the media that BMK08/Ectosan is in fact the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid.
For example:
- Benchmark's main web-page omits to mention the fact that BMK08 is imidacloprid:
- When Benchmark first marketed Imidacloprid in December 2017 it was hidden behind the trade name Ectosan with the claim that it had "no environmental impact":
- In November 2019, Benchmark re-named Ectosan as BMK08 but still failed to disclose the fact that it was the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid and claiming that it had "zero environmental impact" with regulatory approval expected in late 2020:
- On 20 March 2020, Benchmark first disclosed that BMK08 was Imidacloprid (this appears to be the only time and public statement from Benchmark admitting that Ectosan/BMK08 was Imidacloprid):
- A regulatory update by Benchmark in September 2020 failed to disclose the fact that BMK08 is Imidacloprid and claimed that the banned neonicotinoid was "safe to use":
- A regulatory update by Benchmark in March 2021 failed to disclose BMK08 was Imidacloprid suggesting that the product was environmentally friendly and sustainable:
- A regulatory update by Benchmark in April 2021 not only failed to disclose BMK08 as Imidacloprid but wrongly stated that an MRL "has now been ratified under EU law":
Scottish Salmon Watch therefore questions whether Benchmark has breached any financial reporting and disclosure requirements.
Certainly, Scottish Salmon Watch believes that Benchmark misled the financial market - including the London Stock Exchange - in a press release issued on 16 April 2021 (see enclosed below along with an email to Benchmark).
Just yesterday the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety voted in support of a motion objecting to an MRL for the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming with a vote expected in the European Parliament's plenary next month:
If, as expected, the European Parliament and European Commission outlaw the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming then the financial impact on Benchmark will be crippling and may blow BMK08 out of the water completely not only in Scotland but also in Norway, Chile and Canada.
It is certainly too early to claim, as Benchmark did last month to investors, that BMK08 had already been "ratified by EU law". Indeed, it is a very real prospect that BMK08 (Imidacloprid) will be outlawed by the EU and banned for use in salmon farming as it is already for terrestrial agriculture.
Meanwhile, Benchmark continues to mislead investors and the media that BMK08 is close to commercial launch (again failing to disclose the alarming fact that BMK08 is the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid and public opposition to neonicotinoids is growing):
We invite Benchmark - copied in here - to explain why they have misled the financial community and to come clean on their planned use of a banned neonicotinoid which is clearly neither an environmentally friendly option nor a palatable prospect for the public.
Finally, we invite the financial community to investigate whether Benchmark is guilty of non-disclosure and deceptive financial statements.
Further information on this controversial and toxic issue is available via:
Last month (19 April 2021), Scottish Salmon Watch wrote to Benchmark questioning the accuracy of the claim that BMK08 (Imidacloprid) had been "ratified under EU law".
Could you please clarify your claim in Benchmark's press release on Friday (see below)?
Namely:
"Benchmark Holdings is pleased to announce that the MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) for its novel sea lice treatment BMK08 has now been ratified under European Law".
How and where has an MRL for Imidacloprid (BMK08) "now been ratified under European Law"?
Please provide the documentation to corroborate this claim.
Scottish Salmon Watch understands from dialogue with a contact in Brussels that Benchmark has jumped the gun on this one and your claim is incorrect.
Clarification by the end of the day would therefore be much appreciated.
Could you please clarify your claim in Benchmark's press release on Friday (see below)?
Namely:
"Benchmark Holdings is pleased to announce that the MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) for its novel sea lice treatment BMK08 has now been ratified under European Law".
How and where has an MRL for Imidacloprid (BMK08) "now been ratified under European Law"?
Please provide the documentation to corroborate this claim.
Scottish Salmon Watch understands from dialogue with a contact in Brussels that Benchmark has jumped the gun on this one and your claim is incorrect.
Clarification by the end of the day would therefore be much appreciated.
From: Benchmark Holdings<mailservice@euroland.com> Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2021 at 11:04 Subject: Benchmark Holdings - BMK08+CleanTreat Update To:
RNS Number : 7421V
Benchmark Holdings PLC
16 April 2021
16 April 2021
Benchmark Holdings
("Benchmark" or the "Company")
BMK08+CleanTreatÒ Update
Ratification of Maximum Residue Limit under European Law
Significant milestone towards the commercialisation of BMK08 and CleanTreatÒ
Further to the notification made on 10 September 2020, Benchmark Holdings is pleased to announce that the MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) for its novel sea lice treatment BMK08 has now been ratified under European Law. The MRL confirms the safety of Benchmark's sea lice solution for consumers and represents a significant milestone in the regulatory approval process towards the anticipated commercial launch of BMK08 and CleanTreatÒ in Norway. The commercial launch remains subject to the grant of a Marketing Authorisation in Norway.
BMK08 and CleanTreatÒ is a transformational solution addressing the biggest biological challenge in salmon farming. The MRL EU ratification is the culmination of almost a decade of research and development, a rigorous trial programme and substantial capital investment by Benchmark.
Trond Williksen, CEO, commented:
"The ratification of the MRL is a further stepping stone towards commercialisation following the announcement of our first customer agreements for CleanTreatâ announced in March.
Sea lice continues to be the biggest biological challenge for salmon producers and Benchmark's novel solution addresses this challenge in a sustainable way both in terms of animal welfare and environmental impact."
Have Norwegian-owned Benchmark - the company behind a plan to unleash the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid (BMK08) in salmon farming - jumped the gun in claiming that an MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) for Imidacloprid in farmed salmon has been "ratified by EU law"? A vote later today by the European Parliament's Environment Committee may severely impede the passage for the regulatory approval of Imidacloprid or even leave it dead in the water.
"It’s like the wild west" said @DaveGoulson "These chemicals are incredibly poisonous – the novichok for insects. It takes a billionth of a gram to harm aquatic life, so even tiny traces would have major impacts on marine life" @guardian@WeAreBenchmarkhttps://t.co/OzouYaXCEk
The opposition motion dated yesterday (27 May 2021) - and voted on later today not yesterday as reported in The Guardian - is spearheaded by Grace O'Sullivan MEP. The resolution calls on the Commission to: Repeal the Implementing Regulation and submit a new draft to the committee and include imidacloprid in the list set out in Annex IV for which no maximum levels can be fixed for aquatic use; Ensure consistency with the Transparency Regulation where the risk assessment is undertaken by agencies other than EFSA; Calls for time-cumulative, peer reviewed eco-toxicological testing for non-target species and a Revision 2001/82/EC vis-à-vis the protection of biodiversity, protecting the aquatic environment, taking account of animal welfare and non-target organisms and microorganisms; To undertake a fitness check of the risk assessment process to establish MRLs for vet meds in foodstuffs of animal origin:
The turbid political waters of toxic chemicals and European licensing - as well as the secrecy surrounding Benchmark's BMK08 - does not make it easy to see what's going on here.
Zoe Dingwall, policy advisor for Environment, Public Health & Food Safety, at the European Greens told Scottish Salmon Watch earlier this week:
"Europe has some of the highest food standards in the world. Maximum Residue Levels are set into EU law max permitted safe levels of chemical residues that are in our food chains food such as pesticides or herbicides sprayed into crops. The new transparency regulation (EU) 2019/1381 is all about promoting transparency in food chain risk assessments which is usually conducted by the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) however on a few rare occasions, when the chemical residues are related to Veterinary medicine, the risk assessment is conducted by the Committee on Veterinary Medicinal Products (CVMP) which is part of the European Medicines Agency.
Legislation in the EU can be established in a number of ways and usually the European Parliament has a 'veto right' (right to scrutinise and to object). However, veterinary medicines risk assessment for a Maximimum Residue Level (MRL) is established by way of an 'Implementing Act' where the European Parliament has no veto right. In 2018 EFSA banned the use of imidacloprid outdoors use on crops due to it known toxicity to bees.
However imidacloprid is still permitted to be used as a common pet flea treatment for cats and dogs. Because it is already has been permitted to be used as a veterinary medicine, it only requires an application from the interested party (probably a representative of Cleantreat) to submit an application to the EMA and make their representations. We do not know what these representations are or the scientific studies on which the authorisation to grant the MRL for use in fin fish as our requests for this information was denied – this is completely unacceptable to the European Parliament
Furthermore as the four major salmon producing countries are non-EU Member States it will be impossible for the EU to assess the adequacy of controls
Greens/EFA group tabled a motion for resolution calling for the full scientific opinion and the studies that it was based on to be made available. We also point out that scientific studies need to be independent, peer-reviewed, time-cumulative (long term) to properly assess the impact of these chemical on the environment, animal welfare and biodiversity. The nine page document lists the inconsistencies with EU law as well as including scientific studies that conclude that imidaclopid should not be used in the aquatic environment due to its toxicity to non-target organisms. who have a democratic right and the rights of European citizens to know what chemical substances are being used in the food that they consume.
Other inconsistencies outlined in the resolution relate to the significant amount of EU law relating to the risk assessment process for pesticides (used on crops) and minimum requirements including potentially harmful effects of chemical substances on groundwater, soil health and non-target species including micro-organisms that lives in water and the soil. We also question how the the European Chemicals Agency classifies imidacloprid as "toxic to aquatic life" and "harmful if swallowed" but the EMA is quite happy to authorise it's use in the aquatic environment - it does not seem very consistent or convincing!
We are calling on the European Commission to repeal the implementing act and include imidacloprid as a substance that should never be used in the aquatic environment. The vote will be held in the European Parliament's Committee for the Environment, public health and food safety and if adopted in Committee (this Friday) it will be put in front of the European Parliament to be formally adopted as its position on this matter."
Benchmark's lobbyists in Brussels will certainly be watching today's Committee for the Environment in the European Parliament with interest. If the vote goes against Imidacloprid, the implementing act may be repealed and the European Commission may update the risk assessment process for all veterinary medicine especially when these are used in the food chain. Benchmark's claim that it had been "ratified by EU law" is clearly misleading because it implies that the European Parliament has already endorsed the setting of the MRL when clearly that is not the case.
The European Greens argue that it's not acceptable to assess such a controversial substance in such an intransparent manner especially considering the aims of the Transparency Regulation. The resolution highlights a major inconsistency with the new Transparency Regulation (2019/1381) in that it doesn't cover foodstuffs of animal origin (when the pesticide residue is a veterinary medicine assessed by the EMA and that it is inconsistent with Union Law and with the ECHA assessment report that categorises imidacloprid is "dangerous for the environment" and "very toxic to aquatic life".
"Imidacloprid is extremely toxic to invertebrates by acute and chronic exposure, and therefore makes no sense at all to use it in the aquatic environment, where organisms are exposed continuously to residues, no matter how low they may be. The claim that imidacloprid would not enter the aquatic environment upon release of the salmon is fallacious. Due to the mobility of this chemical in water, it is practically impossible to avoid contamination of the receiving waters. Even tiny residues below 1 ppb can deplete populations of aquatic insects! For this reason, I cannot understand the need for using a product that contains imidacloprid for salmon farming. There are other chemicals used for disinfecting fish that cause less harm to the aquatic environment than imidacloprid, so why should anyone insist in using the worst chemical in the market for such a purpose?"
"Imidacloprid has been banned from use by farmers because of the widespread environmental harm it caused, which included impacting on freshwater insects. It would be the height of foolishness to start using this potent, broad-spectrum neurotoxin in salmon farming. This proposed CleanTreat® system claims to entirely remove Imidacloprid from the water returned to the sea, but this clearly needs to be tested by an independent laboratory. Imidacloprid is extremely toxic to a broad range of invertebrates, with concentrations of less than 1 part per billion enough to harm aquatic life, so even tiny traces would have major impacts on marine life."
"It’s like the wild west" said @DaveGoulson "These chemicals are incredibly poisonous – the novichok for insects. It takes a billionth of a gram to harm aquatic life, so even tiny traces would have major impacts on marine life" @guardian@WeAreBenchmarkhttps://t.co/OzouYaXCEk
Are @scotgov so entwined with the toxic #salmon industry that they're prepared to sanction poisoning the sea with a banned insecticide for billionaires' profits? This has to stop, @ScotGovFM; and stop now.https://t.co/qPKPleqsqK
— Russ Cheshire #ThreePointFivePercent 🇪🇺 💙 (@RussCheshire) May 27, 2021
Will the public be able to view environmental risk assessment data on Imidacloprid (BMK08) on the Dark Web before it is approved for use in salmon farming in Scotland? @ScottishEPA@FOIScotlandpic.twitter.com/ii4K4i0al5
