Green Around the Gills

74% Mortality Reported by RSPCA Assured Scottish Sea Farms (Supplier to M&S) in Loch Nevis!

 

REVEALED: 74% monthly mortality (that's 3 out of every 4 fish dying in the space of a single month) at RSPCA Assured @scotseafarms in Loch Nevis (Nevis B). Scottish Sea Farms is the exclusive supplier to @marksandspencer https://t.co/7PNQiIMPl0
WTF? @rspcaassured @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/0NxtnuiUby

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 7, 2022

 

 

New mortality data published by Salmon Scotland for October 2022 illustrates the scale of deaths and disease plaguing salmon farms across Scotland - with 74% mortality reported at the Nevis B salmon farm and 43% mortality reported at the Nevis A salmon farm operated by RSPCA Assured Scottish Sea Farms (exclusive supplier to M&S) in Loch Nevis on the West coast of Scotland. 

 

 

 

 

Bakkafrost's RSPCA Assured salmon farms at East Tarbert Bay and Druimyeon Bay off the Isle of Gigha reported 38.5% and 30.6% mortality for October 2022 with Loch Duart reporting 26.5% mortality at RSPCA Assured Loch Carnan.   RSPCA Assured Mowi reported 15.6% mortality at Hellisay and 'Organic' Sea Harvest - the only salmon farming company NOT accredited as 'welfare-friendly' by RSPCA Assured - reported 12.8% mortality at Invertote salmon farm off the Isle of Skye:

 

 

 

 

Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots and STV News reported last year on mass mortalities at Druimyeon Bay and East Tarbert Bay off the Isle of Gigha:

 

 

 

 

Thousands of rotting salmon ‘stink out’ village after mass death at farm.https://t.co/hOoOmXr0n7

— STV News (@STVNews) October 20, 2021

 

 

 

 

Of the salmon farms harvested out during October 2022, the highest mortality rate was at RSPCA Assured Mowi (Hellisay) closely followed by RSPCA Assured Scottish Sea Farms (Nevis C):

 

 

 

 

Mortality data published on 9 November 2022 by Salmon Scotland detailed mortality data for September 2022 headed by RSPCA Assured Loch Duart in Loch Carnan with 55.9% (when Loch Duart come round to harvesting out Loch Carnan there will be very few fish left!):

 

 

 

 

The Worst of the Worst @ScotlandSalmon - headed by 55.9% mortality in September @LochDuartSalmon in Loch Carnan: that's over half the fish dying in 30 days!!https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI
But don't worry, Loch Duart is @rspcaassured - nothing to see here! https://t.co/UzZDt5a2qZ #RSPCA pic.twitter.com/6KKtrNoIsq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

🚨@LochDuartSalmon say they produce "unrivalled Scottish salmon"🚨

They are indeed "unrivalled" - decisively leading the pack in the Sept mortality league table.

Chefs & restaurants using Loch Duart salmon need to understand the true cost of what they’re serving. #Offthetable https://t.co/vXY2wC8AWx

— WildFish (@WildFishCons) December 4, 2022

 

 

Ecohustler reported earlier this week (5 December 2022):

 

The Great British #Christmas Salmon Die Off 🐟☠️

Top line - this year, 25% of the #animals farmed died in the cages off #Scotland and wild #salmon numbers are down 70% since 2020 📉

The situation is dire and getting worse😕https://t.co/y3idXo0Aiw#Fish #Oceans #Environment pic.twitter.com/qm0lZeYzuo

— Ecohustler (@Ecohustler) December 6, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

Maths wizard Corin Smith of Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots published (10 November 2022) a damning assessment of how the 'Scottish' salmon farming industry present mortality figures - estimating that a staggering three million salmon died inside RSPCA Assured feedlots in the month of September 2022 alone:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The figure of 2.8 million dead farmed salmon for September 2022 is sourced from a press release issued by Salmon Scotland (9 November 2022):

 

"Data @ScotlandSalmon for September shows survival fell to 95.3%; 2.4% down on the past 4-year average of 97.7% & equating to a loss of 2.8 million fish" https://t.co/8UrlImgqDu
How many million @rspcaassured salmon died in 2022 or would disclosure be 'commercially damaging'? pic.twitter.com/Jq0ELuSnsG

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in 2013, the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (since renamed Salmon Scotland) successfully lobbied against publication of mortality numbers arguing that disclosure would be 'commercially damaging'!

 

If you're looking for data on numbers of @rspcaassured dead farmed salmon in Scotland they don't exist - in 2013 @SSPOsays lobbied @ScottishEPA not to disclose mortalities as it was deemed commercially damaging! https://t.co/cDEyvS04dO @strathearnrose @salmon_scottish @scotgp pic.twitter.com/FICRbrpGXJ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 2, 2020

 

 

 

Read more via:

Remembrance Day Plea for the Millions of Farmed Salmon Killed in Scotland Every Year

3 million Scottish Salmon Die Inside RSPCA Assured Feedlots in September?!

8,000 tonne shortfall for Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) due to "biological challenges"!

Record Death Rates Plagues Salmon Farms Across Scotland!

Annus Horribilis Salmonis: Mowi's "Troublesome Year" in Scotland - 22% fall in production!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

Death Stalks Scottish Salmon - Rising Mortalities Plague RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Sites!

21% Mortality at Mowi's ASC-Certified & RSPCA Assured Marulaig Bay & Rum in ONE WEEK!!!

Abominable Salmon Certification - the Aquaculture Stewardship Council is Sponsoring Serial Killing in Scotland!

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

Greenwashing by the ASC - you can't polish a turd but you can roll it in glitter!

New Survey Lifts Lid on Falling Production & Rising Mortalities on 'Scottish' Salmon Farms!

Death Deflation: 13 Million Morts On Scottish Salmon Farms in 2021 - More Like 22 Million (& maybe 50 million if you add freshwater)!

Named & Shamed: The Most Deadly Salmon Farms in Scotland (as greenwashed as "responsible" via RSPCA Assured & the ASC)!

Halloween Comes Early at Deadly Scottish Salmon - mortalities pile up due to viral disease, fungus, gill infections & lice infestations!

Death Rates Soar at Salmon Farms (according to data published by Salmon Scotland)

Press Release: "Year of the Dead Salmon: Scottish Salmon Plagued by Mass Mortality Problems"

Media Backgrounder: Year of the Dead Salmon - Bakkafrost Scotland is the King of Death!

Fake News? Over 50% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Farms - how can supermarkets advertise it as "responsibly sourced"?

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

Exposed: 10 Million Morts at RSPCA Assured Mowi Since 2019!

Revealed: 30+ Million Dead Scottish Salmon Since 2017 - over 8 million morts reported last year & over half a million in first two weeks of 2022!!

Mowi's "Woes in Scotland" - Disease & Deaths Cause £5.6 Million Losses!

Over 80% Mortality at The Scottish Salmon Company!!!

ASC-Certified/Audited Mass Mortalities Pile Up at Lousy Mowi & Scottish Sea Farms!

New Mortality Data for Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon - 700,000+ in the first two weeks of December!

Mass mortalities at ASC-certified Mowi!

Dead in the Water - Scottish Salmon's Mortality Mountain Piles Ever Higher in 2021!

Mass Mortalities - 66% in one month at The Scottish Salmon Company on the Isle of Gigha!

Lousy 'Scottish' Salmon - the most lice-infested salmon farms named & shamed!

Irresponsible Scottish Salmon Exposed: 'Scotland's Aquaculture' Publishes Data on Toxic Chemicals Use, Morts & Biomass Breaches

STV News: "Thousands of rotting salmon ‘stink out’ village after mass death at farm"

X-Rated Video: 90% Mortality at The Faroese/Norwegian 'Scottish' Salmon Company?!

Video Nasties of Dead Farmed Salmon Pile Up All Over the World!

Videos of Mort Disposal by The Scottish Salmon Company - like a serial killer disposing of dead bodies before the police arrive!

Demand for moratorium on new fish farms after mortality rates revealed

"The shocking death rates on Scotland's salmon farms revealed"

Rest Assured - the RSPCA has been captured, co-opted & corrupted by the Salmafia

2020: The Year of Diseased Scottish Salmon - 27,000 Tonnes of Dead Fish, the Worst On Record!

Stop the Scottish Salmondemic - please avoid disease-ridden farmed salmon like the proverbial plague!

Taking the Fish - Illegal Salmon Dump Caught Taking Diseased Fish from the Mainland Despite 'Derogation'!

FOI Lifts Lid on the Stench of Scottish Salmon: Government Legal Department Target Illegal Dumping of Diseased Salmon

The Times: "Fish graveyard ‘severely hampers’ life for islanders, officials claim"

Update: Mortality Rate Over 36% At RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon!

Mowi's 'Healthy' RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Salmon Farm at Gorsten (as featured in Seaspiracy)

Netflix's 'Seaspiracy' Exposes Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon – As Sponsored by the RSPCA & Aquaculture Stewardship Council!

Mowi Moves Goalposts on ASC Certification

ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Dead in the Water!

Anyone for ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Doused in Carcinogenic Formaldehyde?

Revealed: Burned, Buried & Ensiled Scottish Salmon 

Update: 25 Million Mass Mortalities on Scottish Salmon Farms

52 million deaths in Norway - how many millions died on Scottish salmon farms in 2020?

The Case Against Scottish Salmon - An Update on Diseases & Mass Mortalities!

2.2 Million Missing Mortalities at Scottish Sea Farms?

Mass Mortalities Continue to Plague Scottish Salmon

Alexa, how many salmon die each year on Scottish salmon farms? 42 million* (but we don't know for sure as the answer is deemed "commercially damaging")!

Over One Million Morts for Scottish Salmon in September 2020!

Survival of the Unhealthiest Scottish Salmon - New data reveals shocking mortality rates!

Dead in the Water - New Data Reveals Mass Mortalities & Disease on Scottish Salmon Farms

The Ferret: "Farmed salmon deaths from disease reach record high"

The Killing Farms - Scottish Salmon's Horror Story Continues!

Solving Scottish Salmon's Multi-Million Mortality Problem

 

 

On Remembrance Day please spare a thought for ca. 50 million salmon who die each year inside cages & hatcheries in Scotland https://t.co/txsQ9C9ol9
Scottish Ministers @MairiGougeon @MairiMcAllan @scotgov should hang their heads in shame for ignoring the suffering @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/jZr1e5FKPz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 11, 2022

 

P&J: "Campaigner calls for comments on ‘largest fish farm in Scotland’ scoping application for Loch Linnhe"

 

 

The Press & Journal reported (6 December 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"A far more detailed assessment of zone of risk is required" said Jon Gibb @lochaberfish "The zone of influence of this farm should there be any problems will be the whole of Loch Linnhe all the way to Fort William" https://t.co/IcYnYxBVI7 @AST_Salmon @fms_scotland @WildFishCons

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 6, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the front page splash and newspaper version as published in The Press & Journal (6 December 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Front page splash in today's @pressjournal: "Concerns over fish farm plans - 'double' size of current biggest" https://t.co/OGRyQHmJeZ pic.twitter.com/03yqWT2jgf

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 6, 2022

 

 

Read more via:

The Scotsman: "Giant new fish farm would be Scotland’s biggest and first to deploy semi-closed pens to lessen ecological impacts"

WARNING: 8,000 Tonne 'Semi-Closed' Salmon Farm Proposed for Disease-Ridden Loch Linnhe!

Victory: Loch Long Salmon Farm Refused by National Park Planning Authority!

Loch Long Salmon Farm Dead in the Water this Halloween!

Loch Long - flood of public opposition sinks salmon farm in National Park?

 

 

 

Activist Don Staniford, director of $camon $cotland, described the plan as "sheer lunacy". He added: "The farming of salmon in cages, whether they are open, closed or semi-closed, is a welfare nightmare with serious ecological impacts" @TheScotsman https://t.co/qU5Ls4BG6N

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 5, 2022

 

The Scotsman: "Giant new fish farm would be Scotland’s biggest and first to deploy semi-closed pens to lessen ecological impacts"

 

Activist Don Staniford, director of $camon $cotland, described the plan as "sheer lunacy". He added: "The farming of salmon in cages, whether they are open, closed or semi-closed, is a welfare nightmare with serious ecological impacts" @TheScotsman https://t.co/qU5Ls4BG6N

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 5, 2022

 

 

 

The Scotsman reported (5 December 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the newspaper version as published in The Scotsman on 6 December 2022:

 

 

 

The Scotsman newsaper on plans to site a monster-sized 8,000 tonne 'semi-closed' salmon farm in Loch Linnhe (already home to disease-ridden @MowiScotlandLtd & @scotseafarms) https://t.co/E322OlxM4K @Ilonaamos @TheScotsman @lochaberfish @JohnAitchison1 @ScotWildlife @scotgp pic.twitter.com/FsdZPlNKp2

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 6, 2022

 

 

AFFtheClyde reported (5 December 2022):

 

Monster Warning in Scotland: Loch Long Salmon Company plans mammoth 8,000 tonne fish farm at Loch Linnhe, Argyll. https://t.co/2ljpX1rIgU @Argyll_Fish @argyllandbute @lochaberfish @WildFishCons @CCNScotland @ScotSalmonTank

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 5, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported (5 December 2022):

 

 

 

"This proven technology has been endorsed by a number of environmental groups including Atlantic Salmon Trust, Scottish Wildlife Trust & Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust" claim Loch Long Salmon https://t.co/CVhsie3TlO
Is this true? @AST_Salmon @ScotWildlife @siftscotland

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 5, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

WARNING: 8,000 Tonne 'Semi-Closed' Salmon Farm Proposed for Disease-Ridden Loch Linnhe!

Victory: Loch Long Salmon Farm Refused by National Park Planning Authority!

Loch Long Salmon Farm Dead in the Water this Halloween!

Loch Long - flood of public opposition sinks salmon farm in National Park?

 

 

 

WARNING: 8,000 Tonne 'Semi-Closed' Salmon Farm Proposed for Disease-Ridden Loch Linnhe!

 

WARNING: 8,000 Tonne 'Semi-Closed' Salmon Farm Proposed for Loch Linnhe - if approved it would be more than double the biggest salmon farm in Scotland! https://t.co/ZKPi5rJ5KQ
Please flood @argyllandbute with objections - there are no public comments yet https://t.co/OxKbuhrLJJ pic.twitter.com/99XADWUO6c

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 5, 2022

 

 

Argyll & Bute Council has been quietly consulting with various government agencies and other stakeholders on a new 8,000 tonne 'semi-closed' salmon farm in Loch Linnhe north of Oban at Lurignish - read all the planning documents online here (as of 8am on 5 December 2022 there had been no public comments). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A deadline of tomorrow (6 December 2022) has been given for comment from various consultees as part of an initial scoping request - here's the 'Consultation Request Notification' to Scottish Water:

 

 

 

 

Argyll & Bute Council wrote to various stakeholders on 14 November 2022 scoping out the monster-sized proposal and giving 21 days (i.e. until 6 December 2022) for comments - here's one of the 'scoping request' letters sent to Argyll & District Salmon Fishery Board:

 

 

 

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency wrote in a letter to Argyll & Bute Council dated 1 December 2022:

 

 

 

A letter from Argyll District Salmon Fishery Board to Argyll & Bute Council dated 29 November 2022 supported the application 'in principle' due to the new 'semi-closed containment' technology but expressed concerns about the particular location:

 

 

 

 

 

A consultation response from Jon Gibb, Clerk of the Lochaber District Salmon Fishery Board, dated 15 November 2022 cited general support for the application but stated that "a far more detailed assessment of zone of risk is required":

 

 

 

 

The scoping request was triggered on 9 November 2022 by Arcus consultants in Glasgow (acting on behalf of Loch Long Salmon):

 

 

 

 

You can read the 122-page 'Scoping Request' from Loch Long Salmon online here

 

 

 

The 'Scoping Request' by Loch Long Salmon (November 2022) includes:

 

 

 

And here's more details on the 'semi-enclosed' system:

 

 

 

 

 

The 'Scoping Request' by Loch Long Salmon is for an eye-popping 8,000 tonnes which would make it over twice the size of the largest salmon farm in Scotland!

 

 

 

Here's the biggest salmon farms in Scotland currently (according to data published by SEPA via 'Scotland's Aquaculture') - headed by Mowi's 3,500 tonne salmon farm off the appropriately-named Isle of Muck:

 

 

Revealed: Here's Scotland's biggest salmon farms - headed by Mowi's appropriately named Muck salmon farm. Where's there's muck, there's Mowi! @MowiScotlandLtd @scotseafarms @CookeScotland @GriegShetland @kamesfishfarm @ScotlandSalmon @ScottishEPA @marinescotland @scotgp pic.twitter.com/kM6xOdXabP

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 5, 2022

 

 

 

The 'Scoping Request' by Loch Long Salmon (November 2022) details salmon rivers in the vicinity of the application at Lurignish (between Oban and Fort William) in Loch Linnhe (map dated 10 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

The track record of 'semi-enclosed' closed containment in Canada - where the same technology as proposed at the Lurignish salmon farm - is appalling. 

 

As Dan Lewis @ClayoquotAction put it: "What we learned was that there were 'fish welfare concerns resulting from chronic exposure to higher levels of ammonia'. In other words, those fish were forced to breath their own urine, probably burning their gills" @AFFtheClyde @loch_long pic.twitter.com/9N93aP96sT

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 28, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

Clayoquot Action in Canada - where the same semi-enclosed technology was trialled unsuccessfully by Cermaq - posted on Facebook on 17 October 2022:

 

"Cermaq's semi-closed fish farm experiment in Clayoquot Sound failed after only 1 year, because fish were dying from breathing their own urine"

 

 

 

As Dan Lewis from Clayoquot Action puts it: "What we learned was that there were 'fish welfare concerns resulting from chronic exposure to higher levels of ammonia'.  In other words, those fish were forced to breath their own urine, probably burning their gills…"

 

 

 

 

In October 2022, Loch Long Salmon suffered a body blow when their flagship proposal in Loch Long was refused - with the planning authority flagging up impacts of escapes on fragile populations of Atlantic salmon:

 

 

Big shout out to the brave locals who fought off plans for a salmon farm in Loch Long - your victory is a watershed moment and an inspiration to communities up and down the coast. The tide just turned against toxic salmon farming! @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/TCAGeSuSeC pic.twitter.com/qZ7UmU1gJ0

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 1, 2022

 

 

 

 

Just last month, the Fiizk 'semi-closed' containment system failed in Norway.  Intrafish reported (16 November 2022):

 

 

 

The Scotsman reported (5 December 2022):

 

"Even if closed containment can mitigate the risks of escapes & interaction of marine mammals, the problems of mass mortalities, infectious diseases and unsustainable feed resources will never go away. The lesser of two evils is still evil" @TheScotsman https://t.co/qU5Ls4BG6N

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 6, 2022

 

 

 

 

"We believe that semi-closed containment cages like this only have a place if they are used to replace open-net cages at existing farms" said @JohnAitchison1 @CCNScotland @TheSoundOfJura @TheScotsman https://t.co/qU5Ls4BG6N @ScotlandSalmon @AFFtheClyde @AST_Salmon @fms_scotland

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 5, 2022

 

 

 

The Press & Journal reported (6 December 2022):

 

Today's @pressjournal: "After being refused planning permission in Loch Long – Loch Long Salmon is now eyeing up Loch Linnhe for a new 8,000 tonne ‘semi-closed’ (i.e. still open) salmon farm which if approved would be more than double Scotland’s largest" https://t.co/IcYnYxBVI7

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 6, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

Victory: Loch Long Salmon Farm Refused by National Park Planning Authority!

Loch Long Salmon Farm Dead in the Water this Halloween!

Loch Long - flood of public opposition sinks salmon farm in National Park?

 

 

 

"This technology is not new, it has been used successfully in Norway, Canada and the Faroe Islands for decades" claims Loch Long Salmon @heraldscotland
If Stewart Hawthorn's idea of 'success' is thousands of salmon dying in their own urine then he can keep it! @lomondtrossachs https://t.co/ridKMprxsJ pic.twitter.com/p1efXbREgH

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 28, 2022

 

Photos of Portree Salvage Operation (next stop is Kishorn)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos of the salvage operation at Portree salmon farm over the weekend: what were the ecological impacts? @ScottishEPA @nature_scot @marinescotland @MairiMcAllan @GaelForceGroup @HighlandCouncil
Did the salvage operation have a licence? @scotgov @MairiGougeon @MCA_media pic.twitter.com/FqNRno4k37

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 4, 2022

 

 

 

 

According to Marine Traffic, the lifted GaelForce feed barge (once it is on the deck of the Matador) is destined for the Port of Kishorn.

 

 

 

 

The West Highland Free Press posted more photos on Facebook (2 December 2022):

 

 

 

 

Facebook: "Perhaps @cllrjfinlayson could provide copies of Minutes/correspondence of the information and updates provided to community councils etc. Surely there should also have been public notices for tourists warning them of this potential hazard" https://t.co/U46EVNFt7e https://t.co/gtNmXYWkSf pic.twitter.com/dX3T4Qxuv0

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 4, 2022

 

 

Here's photos taken on Friday (2 December 2022) from the coastal path overlooking the Portree salmon farm:

 

Photos taken today off Portree by a local: "I was shaken by how close the farm is to the coastline – whatever has come out of that sunken feedbarge will almost certainly have washed round into Portree Bay with the tides. There was no signage anywhere along the path from Portree" pic.twitter.com/F80IhTwPnr

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

 

The Press & Journal reported (4 December 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press & Journal: "Anti-fish farm campaigner Don Staniford has published a number of documents from consultants & government bodies alleging the vessel was giving off “significant levels” of hydrogen sulphide at potentially flammable levels" @pressjournal https://t.co/QzC6euLVSR

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 6, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

FOI Floodgates Open on "Explosive" Feed Barge Incident - document dump from Northern Lighthouse Board shines spotlight on salvage operation

P&J: "Stink raised over release of toxic chemicals from sunken fish farm barge off Skye"

Gael Force's Sinking Feeling: barges scuppered by bad weather or is the 'greed of feed' to blame?

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland - 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

Toxic Gasses Spew From The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost Scotland) Off Portree

 

 

 

"We are seeing some feed oils coming from the second silo now - image below close up to the droplets and much clearer image" @briggsmarine
How much feed leaked from the @GaelForceGroup barge off Portree? @ScottishEPA @cllrjfinlayson @drewhendrySNP @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/hyOIgK8RjI

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 30, 2022

 

 

Sunday Times: "Fish farms scrutinised as antibiotic use soars"

 

Today's Sunday Times: Don Staniford, a critic of salmon farming, said the industry had a “desperate addiction to antibiotics” https://t.co/HMwxgQQFag @SundayTimesScot @thetimes @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua @sainsburys @AldiUK @LidlGB @asda @Tesco

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 4, 2022

 

 

 

The Sunday Times reported (4 December 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ben Hadfield of Mowi Scotland told @SundayTimesScot: “Coming from consistently low antibiotic use, our company did see a temporary increase in use" https://t.co/HMwxgQQFag
Don't you mean 'consistently high antibiotic use' & a permanent increase? @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/oKb8Fo9n4m

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 4, 2022

 

 

 

Don Staniford, Director of $camon Scotland (formerly Scottish Salmon Watch), told The Sunday Times:

 

"Scottish salmon's increasing dependence on drugs is symptomatic of the unhealthy situation inside fish feedlots and raises serious public health and ecological risks.  The flood of antibiotics into lochs across Scotland raises the spectre of antibiotic resistance in the food chain and environmental contamination under salmon farms"

 

"Infectious diseases and welfare problems are running rampant at salmon farms leading to increasing use of antibiotics.  Reaching for ever more drugs is a sure sign that salmon pharming is a hopeless junkie.  Please say no to drugs, say no to smoked Scottish salmon this Xmas"

 

"Salmon farming in Scotland - the only sector where antibiotic use is increasing - is shaming the whole of UK farming.   Instead of meeting targets, Scottish salmon farming is using nearly nine times more antibiotics and the cycle of drug addiction is spiralling out of control.  By boycotting Scottish salmon, consumers can send the crystal clear message that heavy antibiotic use will not be tolerated"

 

 

"The requirement to protect our fish from environmental challenges meant antibiotics were used on a small number of farms" said @ScotlandSalmon "We are committed to reducing use as low as possible" https://t.co/HMwxgQQFag
Mmm - it really looks like it! @vmdgovuk #Antibiotics pic.twitter.com/KSexYYuKW9

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 5, 2022

 

 

More details are available via a press release and media backgrounder (4 December 2022) - download online here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Undercurrent News reported (5 December 2022):

 

 

 

Read more via:

Addicted to Antibiotics - Scottish Salmon's Drug Use Leaps to 8.9 tonnes in 2021 (790% increase since 2018 & over 8 times the target set in 2017)!

Drug Addict Alert: Scottish Salmon's Fifty-Fold Increase in Antibiotics Since 2016!

The Ferret/Sunday National: "Use of Drugs At Fish Farms Rises 50 Times in Six Years"

Media Backgrounder: "Mowi's Increasing Disease Problems Drives Increases in Antibiotic Use"

Toxic Scottish Salmon - Chemical Use Doubles Since 2018!

Slicegate: How SEPA Opened the Floodgates to Toxic Scottish Salmon (Following Intense Lobbying from the Salmafia)!

Mowi's 'Host' With the Most....Toxic Chemicals & Antibiotics (certified as "responsibly farmed" by the ASC)!

"Antibiotics use in Scottish farmed salmon doubles" (The Fish Site)

Named & Shamed: Increasing Antibiotic Use by Salmon Pharms in Scotland - just say no to drugs, say no to Scottish salmon!

Antibiotic-ridden Scottish salmon

 

 

Addicted to Antibiotics - Scottish Salmon's Drug Use Leaps to 8.9 tonnes in 2021 (790% increase since 2018 & over 8 times the target set in 2017)!

 

 

 

Here's a press release and media backgrounder (4 December 2022):

 

 

“Scottish salmon is a drug addict & should check itself into rehab immediately. Salmon pharming’s desperate addiction to antibiotics is bringing the whole farming sector into disrepute" https://t.co/hL9hzCD33d @vmdgovuk @ScotlandSalmon @ScottishEPA @TavishScott #Antibiotics pic.twitter.com/7YPbxtDju0

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 4, 2022

 

 

A damning new report - 'UK Veterinary Antibiotic Resistance and Sales Surveillance Report' - slipped out by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate last month exposes the salmon farming industry's shocking addiction to antibiotics - and shows how the use of antibiotics in Scotland has leapt from 1 tonne in 2018 to 8.9 tonnes in 2021 (an increase of 790%).  

 

 

REVEALED: Antibiotic use on salmon farms in Scotland has increased 9-fold since 2018 - leaping from 1 tonne (mostly Oxytetracycline) to 8.9 tonnes! Please boycott Scottish salmon @MowiScotlandLtd @CookeScotland @sainsburys @asda @Tesco @waitrose @rspcaassured @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/ilAiEue4S7

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 4, 2022

 

 

Here's the front cover of the 'Highlights' of the VARSS report published in November 2022 (notice the graph showing falling use of antibiotics with pictures of a cow, pig and a sheep - but no salmon):

 

 

 

Look inside the VARSS 2021 'Highlights' which compares diffirent animal species and the true horrors of salmon farming in Scotland becomes all too apparent (focus on the left hand column and you'll see that salmon is the only farming sector where antibiotics are increasing - so much so that salmon is now second to only pigs in 2021 usage of antibiotics):

 

 

REVEALED: Farmed salmon is the only farming sector where the use of antibiotics has increased over the last five years @vmdgovuk @RUMA_UK @ScotlandSalmon
Please boycott Scottish salmon this Xmas - just say no to drugs! @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua @sainsburys @Tesco @asda @LidlGB pic.twitter.com/W6truEJNhx

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 5, 2022

 

 

To put this into perspective, back in 2017 the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) identified 5mg/kg as a target (i.e. instead of meeting the target, salmon farming is now using over 8 times more antibiotics!):

 

 

 

 

The full 128-page VARSS 2021 report published on 8 November 2022 details more on the alarming rise in antibiotics by the salmon pharming sector - with a staggering 8.9 tonnes of antibiotics used by salmon farms in 2021 representing 43.1 mg/kg:  

 

 

 

 

The VARSS 2021 report published on 8 November 2022 showcases the overall decline in antibiotic use across the farming sector:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, whilst other farming sectors have been successful in meeting targetted reductions in antibiotic use, the salmon farming sector has failed spectacularly.  Here's the graph for salmon:

 

 

 

 

And here's the graphs for pigs and cattle:

 

 

 

 

 

And here's the graph for trout (which remains way below the 20 mg/kg target identified by RUMA in 2017 - at 5.9 mg/kg in 2021 which is ca. 8 times less than salmon):

 

 

 

 

Here is the VARSS statement from Salmon Scotland in response to the damning data on increasing antibiotic use on salmon farms:

 

 

 

 

So whilst the foreward of the VARSS 2021 report published on 8 November 2022 refers to the "dramatic reductions" in antibiotic use it has been achieved in the face of dramatic increases by the salmon pharming sector:

 

 

 

 

The 2022 FAO report - "Tackling antimicrobial use and resistance in food-producing animals: Lessons learned in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" - cited in the VARSS 2021 foreward includes reference to the 5mg/kg target in salmon identified by RUMA in 2017 (but failed to mention the fact that antibiotic use on salmon farms was over 8 times more than the target in 2021!):

 

 

 

 

 

A look back at previous VARSS reports illustrates how the salmon pharming sector's drug addiction has spiralled out of control.  It appears that 2017 was the first time antibiotic use data was recorded for the salmon farming sector - with 17 mg/kg antibiotic usage reported (UK-VARSS 2017 PowerPoint Set) and a total use of 3 tonnes of antibiotics used by salmon farming in 2017:

 

 

 

The 2017 VARSS report reported that Oxytetracyline was the most widely used antibiotic (86%) but there was also use of Florfenicol, Oxolinic acid and Amoxicillin:

 

 

 

 

 

The VARSS 2018 report shows a dramatic decline in antibiotic use on salmon farms - with 1 tonne of antibiotics used representing 6.5 mg/kg (a fall of 60%):

 

 

 

The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (renamed Salmon Scotland in 2021) was keen in the VARSS 2018 report to stress that the salmon farming industry was now "close to the ambitious target to keep usage in the salmon industry below 5 mg/kg" (notice how the use of Florfenicol - in % terms - increased compared to Oxytetracyline and the use of Amoxicillin stopped completely):

 

 

 

The VARSS 2019 report showed a dramatic increase in the use of antibiotics by salmon farms - almost back to 2017 levels at 2.8 tonnes representing 13.5 mg/kg:

 

 

 

 

The 2020 VARSS report showed how the antibiotic use on salmon farms leapt up to 5.6 tonnes representing 29.3 mg/kg (up from 1 tonne in 2018 representing 6.5 mg/kg) and now nearly six times higher than the 5 mg/kg target set by RUMA:

 

 

 

Notice how the reaction from the salmon farming industry to the VARSS 2020 report now omitted reference to the 5 mg/kg target set by RUMA:

 

 

 

 

 

Another report published by the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) in November 2022 (timed to coincide with the VARSS report) downplays how the salmon pharming industry in Scotland is using more and more antibiotics despite concerted attempts across the UK farming sector to reduce antibiotic use:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst antibiotic use on salmon farms is increasing to record levels, the RUMA report (November 2022) shows that the trout farming sector has significant reductions in the use of antibiotics:

 

 

In other words:

 

 

 

The RUMA 'Targets Task Force 2' was set up in 2019 with "new targets" launched in November 2020 which run from 2021 to 2024 - Salmon Scotland (formerly the SSPO) is represented by Iain Berrill:

 

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert spun the November 2022 RUMA report as positively as they could in an article published on 8 November 2022:

 

 

 

The new VARSS data confirms shocking information on rising antibiotic use on salmon farms in Scotland obtained via Freedom of Information from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency earlier this year.  The Ferret and Sunday National reported in February 2022:

 

 

Antibiotics given to caged salmon to combat diseases at over 50 farms around Argyll, the highlands and islands have risen from 147 kilograms in 2016 to 7,476 kilograms in 2021. https://t.co/adsjFAdW5Y

— The Ferret (@FerretScot) February 27, 2022

 

"Fundamentally, anyone who confines a sea-going animal in a cage, treats them with chemicals, causes them stress through various procedures and interventions, has lost the caring argument" https://t.co/5QukVYdbwD @ScotlandSalmon @MowiScotlandLtd @ciwf @onekindtweet @peta

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 7, 2022

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported in February 2022:

 

"Scottish salmon is a hopeless drug addict that surely belongs on the floor with the Trainspotting junkies not welcomed into your kitchen & served as ‘healthy’ food. Norwegian giant Mowi should check itself into rehab to curb their drug dependency" https://t.co/T3qavQYEUR pic.twitter.com/irjTlZ6EFq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 27, 2022

 

 

 

Salmon pharms in Scotland used 7,476 kg of antibiotics (Florfenicol & Oxytetracycline) in 2021 - that's a shocking 51-fold increase since 2016 according to a FOI disclosure! @ScottishEPA https://t.co/T3qavQYEUR
Please boycott Scottish pharmed salmon! @sainsburys @Tesco @AldiUK pic.twitter.com/O9hhgLpUbk

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 28, 2022

 

 

 

 

The use of antibiotics in freshwater salmon farming - in hatcheries and smolt farms in lochs - is shamefully not captured by SEPA or published on a site by site basis.  However, 'Case Information' published by the Scottish Government reveals the use of antibiotics at freshwater hatcheries and salmon farms across Scotland.   Here's a Fish Health Inspectorate report for Millburn Salmon Hatchery in Shetland in September 2022:

 

 

 

 

Here's 'Case Information' published by the Fish Health Inspectorate relating to an inspection of Mowi's ASC-certified and RSPCA Assured salmon farm at Ardgour in Loch Linnhe in May 2022 - including gruesome photos - including reports of the use of both Florfenicol (Florocol) and Oxytetracycline (Aquatet):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Scottish Government inspection report dated 16 June 2022 cited antibiotic resistance at Mowi's Linnhe salmon farm:

 

 

 

 

 

This Fish Health Inspectorate report in March 2022 for Mowi's ASC-certified and RSPCA Assured salmon farm at Ardgour in Loch Linnhe details the use of the antibiotic Florfenicol (Florocol) to treat Furunculosis in cleaner fish (wrasse):

 

 

 

 

Another Fish Health Inspectorate report in February 2022 alludes to mis-reporting of antibiotics at Mowi's RSPCA Assured Seaforth salmon farm (a farm not awarded ASC certification in November 2022):

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report in February 2022 for Mowi's ASC-certified and RSPCA Assured Ardintoul salmon farm in Loch Alsh detailed the use of Oxytetracycline to treat Salmon Rickettsial Syndrome:

 

 

 

 

Another Fish Health Inspectorate report for January 2022 at Mowi's Ardintoul salmon farm in Loch Alsh refers to the use of Oxytetracyline on farmed salmon and Florfenicol on cleaner fish (wrasse and lumpfish):

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report in February 2022 for Mowi's RSPCA Assured salmon farm in Loch Greshornish detailed the use of Florfenicol (Florocol) to treat Pasteurella skyensis:

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for Mowi's RSPCA Assured Seaforth salmon farm in January 2022 detailed the use of both Florocol and Oxytetracycline:

 

 

 

 

 

Data published by the Scottish Government on 1 November 2022 also cites antibiotic use in over 50 'Mortality Event Reports' (dominated by Mowi) - including:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mowi's extensive use of antibiotics is matched by an extensive policy on antibiotic use published in June 2022:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported in February 2022:

 

 

Mowi's drug addiction is in the class of Amy Winehouse! "They tried to make me go to Rehab, But I said no, no, no" @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond @ScottishEPA @vmdgovuk
Boycott pharmed salmon! https://t.co/ZkLRz68zys pic.twitter.com/6zWdkYxB2y

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 28, 2022

 

 

"Scottish salmon is a hopeless drug addict that surely belongs on the floor with the Trainspotting junkies not welcomed into your kitchen & served as ‘healthy’ food. Norwegian giant Mowi should check itself into rehab to curb their drug dependency" https://t.co/T3qavQYEUR pic.twitter.com/irjTlZ6EFq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 27, 2022

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in January 2022:

 

Certification of @MowiScotlandLtd salmon farms has been cancelled @ASC_aqua "Carradale was cancelled due to an escape event; Cairidh due to administrative reasons; Maol Ban & Sconser Quarry because they were projected to exceed the permitted antibiotic treatments number" pic.twitter.com/byKk6EYukC

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 6, 2022

 

 

 

 

The irresponsible use of antibiotics is happening not just in Scotland but also in Tasmania.   The Guardian reported last month (14 November 2022):

 

 

 

can we expect to see EPA fines for a polluting industry? Or is this considered business as usual? Please head to the original article at the Guardian and support the publication of relevant Environmental reporting. https://t.co/xj3scQkUMi 3/3 #politas #tasmaniansalmon

— Neighbours of Fish Farming (@NOFF_Tasmania) November 20, 2022

 

 

 

 

The Tasmanian Inquirer reported (14 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Sunday Times: "Fish farms scrutinised as antibiotic use soars"

Drug Addict Alert: Scottish Salmon's Fifty-Fold Increase in Antibiotics Since 2016!

The Ferret/Sunday National: "Use of Drugs At Fish Farms Rises 50 Times in Six Years"

Media Backgrounder: "Mowi's Increasing Disease Problems Drives Increases in Antibiotic Use"

Toxic Scottish Salmon - Chemical Use Doubles Since 2018!

Slicegate: How SEPA Opened the Floodgates to Toxic Scottish Salmon (Following Intense Lobbying from the Salmafia)!

Mowi's 'Host' With the Most....Toxic Chemicals & Antibiotics (certified as "responsibly farmed" by the ASC)!

"Antibiotics use in Scottish farmed salmon doubles" (The Fish Site)

Named & Shamed: Increasing Antibiotic Use by Salmon Pharms in Scotland - just say no to drugs, say no to Scottish salmon!

Antibiotic-ridden Scottish salmon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOI Floodgates Open on "Explosive" Feed Barge Incident - document dump from Northern Lighthouse Board shines spotlight on salvage operation

 

The Aqua Reflex crane barge arrives in Portree - do Bakkafrost have a marine licence to salvage the feed barge a year after it sank? https://t.co/peclMN6Bc5 @MCA_media @marinescotland @ScottishEPA @NLB_UK @nature_scot @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon @_KateForbes @GaelForceGroup pic.twitter.com/nYPGzm8RoM

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

It seems that the salvage of Bakkafrost's sunken feed barge off Portree on the Isle of Skye has begun with the arrival of a salvage team on 1 December 2022 (over a year after the sinking on 26 November 2021).  As of this morning (2 December 2022), Marine Traffic is showing the Wavedancer (a dive boat) moored in Portree Harbour and the Aqua Reflex (tug) and Matador (a floating crane registered in the Netherlands) at the salmon farm (the Netherlands-based company Marine Masters is in charge of the salvage operation). 

 

Dive boat (the Wavedancer) arrives in Portree for salvage of the sunken feed barge https://t.co/Xa1yO4y4UN @GaelForceGroup @MCA_media @NLB_UK @HighlandCouncil @ScottishEPA @WHFP1 @pressjournal @BBCHighlands @BBCIainMac @IslaTodd @_Adam_Gordon @KeithMacKenzie1 @iainramage6 pic.twitter.com/rqWLTVtxLe

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Matador (a floating crane from the Netherlands) is now at Portree salmon farm to take on the toxic feed barge - does Bakkafrost have a salvage licence to lift up the @GaelForceGroup sunken vessel? @MCA_media @marinescotland @HighlandCouncil @WHFP1 https://t.co/63ZgZyTJSr pic.twitter.com/oddxEbrma1

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

Here's photos taken earlier today (2 December 2022) from the coastal path overlooking the Portree salmon farm:

 

Photos taken today off Portree by a local: "I was shaken by how close the farm is to the coastline – whatever has come out of that sunken feedbarge will almost certainly have washed round into Portree Bay with the tides. There was no signage anywhere along the path from Portree" pic.twitter.com/F80IhTwPnr

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The West Highland Free Press posted more photos on Facebook (2 December 2022):

 

 

John Finlayson @HighlandCouncil: "At the time of the incident & following it there were regular updates provided to members & to community groups & there was clear articulation of the mitigation actions & also updates" @whfp https://t.co/SNiBfY66Qv
Where & when? @cllrjfinlayson pic.twitter.com/6xTbcmpEiX

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 3, 2022

 

The timing of the salvage operation is interesting - given that it is taking place just over 12 months after the feed barge sinking on 26 November 2021 during Storm Arwen (FOI documents disclosed by the Scottish Government reveal that salvage operations taking place more than a year after a sinking require a licence).   

 

 

Does Bakkafrost have a valid licence & EIA for the salvage of the @GaelForceGroup feed barge off Portree? @scotgov @marinescotland @MairiGougeon @HMCoastguard @ScottishEPA @MCA_media @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @cllrjfinlayson @NLB_UK pic.twitter.com/rkjUPT3Paj

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

 

And just this week (30 November 2022), further documents obtained via Freedom of Information (FOI) from the Northern Lighthouse Board shed more light on the botched salvage of the "explosive" and "toxic" feed barge which can only be described as a clusterfuck meets cover up.

 

 

Oops - when you redact so many documents the black pen runs out of ink! Shout out to Craig, Head of Engineering at Scottish Salmon (Bakkafrost)
More FOI documents coming soon! @HighlandCouncil @MCA_media @marinescotland @NLB_UK @CrownEstateScot @ScottishEPA @Nature_Scotland pic.twitter.com/2L1nYJNIv0

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 30, 2022

 

 

"We are seeing some feed oils coming from the second silo now - image below close up to the droplets and much clearer image" @briggsmarine
How much feed leaked from the @GaelForceGroup barge off Portree? @ScottishEPA @cllrjfinlayson @drewhendrySNP @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/hyOIgK8RjI

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 30, 2022

 

 

 

Here's the FOI reply from the Northern Lighthouse Board (30 November 2022):

 

From: Trish Donaldson <Trish.Donaldson@nlb.org.uk>
Date: Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 10:02 AM
Subject: NLB-FOI-0137 Portree toxic gases from Bakkafrost/Scottish Salmon Co. feed barge RESPONSE
To: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>

Good morning

Thank you for your recent request under the Freedom of Information please find our response letter attached. 

The file size is to great for our email server to allow through so a link to a folder is being sent separately in the next few minutes, this will allow you to download the files.

Regards

Trish Donaldson

 

 

 

 

 

Explosive FOI Disclosure @NLB_UK shines a light on the sinking & salvage of the toxic @GaelForceGroup feed barge off Portree @briggsmarine
Nothing to see here! @Folketrygdfond @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon @_KateForbes @WHFP1 @nature_scot @HighlandCouncil @MCA_media @fire_scot pic.twitter.com/w3tYE6x6FB

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

 

Here's some highlights from the FOI disclosure by the Northern Lighthouse Board on 30 November 2022 (further FOI replies are expected from Highland Council, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Crown Estate Scotland, NHS Scotland, Fire Scotland, Police Scotland and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency) - the Northern Lighthouse Board were first notified of the 26 November 2021 sinking of the feed barge on 2 December 2021 in an email from the Secretary of State's Representative for Marine Salvage and Intervention:

 

 

 

 

Call Out to Video/Photographers in Portree! This is Google Earth on the @GaelForceGroup feed barge before it sank during Storm Arwen in November 2021 - it is being salvaged today. Please pass on photos/video - this is video overlooking the farm in 2020: https://t.co/2xiTM6zyRD pic.twitter.com/8z2BefNhPf

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

 

Here's a map circulated by the Northern Lighthouse Board of the two Bakkafrost salmon farms (effectively one super-sized site serviced by a feed barge in between the two farms):

 

 

 

The Scottish Salmon Company (renamed Bakkafrost in June 2022) informed HM Coastguard/Maritime & Coastguard Agency of the sinking on 27 November 2021 (the day after the barge went down during Storm Arwen on 26 November 2021) - leading to a flurry of emails from 'Counter Pollution' agencies:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaking oils were reported:

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a photo of the leaking oils @GaelForceGroup feed barge which sank in November 2021 at Bakkafrost's salmon farm off Portree - how much of the 450 tonnes of feed is left to salvage? Is SEPA at the site monitoring for environmental pollution? @ScottishEPA @MairiMcAllan pic.twitter.com/xC18DgYnSX

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

 

At the end of March 2022, Bakkafrost's 'Head of Engineering' updated various government agencies:

 

 

 

 

Bakkafrost's 'Head of Engineering' is understood to be called Craig T - here's his Linkedin profile:

 

 

 

 

In May 2022, Bakkafrost's 'Head of Engineering' (who is an "excellent communicator with all levels" - except the public who were still in the dark!) sent government agencies a presentation by Briggs Marine (the salvage company initially hired by Bakkafrost before they left in August 2022 over a 'payment dispute' and were replaced by Marine Masters in the Netherlands):

 

 

 

In July 2022, Bakkafrost's "excellent communicator" informed various government agencies (still the public were not informed) that the preparation work for the barge recovery by Briggs Marine would start "unseen" before the salvage vessel arrived in late August:

 

 

 

 

By early August 2022, Bakkafrost notified various government agencies of "a small leakage of gas" and referred to the '2020 Emergency Response Guidebook':

 

 

 

 

By late in the afternoon of Friday 12 August 2022, Bakkafrost's 'Head of Engineering' (now revealed as 'Craig' via a botched redaction) was engaged in full-on communication with a growing list of government agencies dropping the bombshell that high levels of Hydrogen Sulphide - 55,000 ppm to be exact putting it in the "explosive range" - had been detected within one of the sealed silos (except he still had not informed the public or tourists in Portree about the "explosive" gases and risks to public health):

 

 

Here's the moment in August when "excellent communicator" Craig T (head of engineering at Bakkafrost) dropped the bombshell that high levels of Hydrogen Sulphide at 55,000 ppm - within the "explosive range" - had been found off Portree. Yet the public were still not informed! pic.twitter.com/kIihslUOMU

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

Bakkafrost's dynamite revelation of Hydrogen Sulphide levels of 55,000 ppm - within the "explosive range" - triggered a phone call from the Secretary of State's Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention later on Friday evening (12 August 2022) and this email suggesting Bakkafrost notify fire and rescue services "for their HAZMAT expertise" and flagging up the risks to cruise liners coming into Portree and walkers along the coastal path:

 

 

 

Salmon farming is an ecological time-bomb! pic.twitter.com/WlL6bsCESF

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

On Monday morning (15 August 2022), Highland Council's 'Harbours Manager' asked Bakkafrost to deploy a 24-hour guard vessel to patrol the salmon farm (yet walkers along the coastal path alongside the salmon farm off Portree were still not warned):

 

 

 

Here's video footage of the 24-hour guard vessel patrolling the Portree salmon farm in late August 2022 (when the public had still NOT been notified of the risks of explosion and toxic gases - read more online here):

 

 

 

 

On 18 August 2022, Bakkafrost's "excellent communicator" sent various government agencies - now including NHS Scotland, Police Scotland and Fire Scotland - four PDFs including a 'Emergency Escape Plans' from Briggs Marine (who were still the salvage company - until they demobilised on 26 August 2022 over a 'payment dispute'):

 

 

 

On 24 August 2022, Bakkafrost's 'Head of Engineering' updated various government agencies (yet the general public and shipping - including 'The World' cruise liner which visited Portree later that day with the Isle of Skye Pipe Band on board - were still not notified):

 

 

 

The Northern Lighthouse Board's FOI disclosure (30 November 2022) attaches various PDFs authored by Briggs Marine including:

 

NLB FOI 30 Nov 2022 Briggs Marine document #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NLB FOI 30 Nov 2022 Briggs Marine document #2

 

 

 

 

Here's the 'Emergency Escapes Plan' from Briggs Marine dated 5 August 2022:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read in full online here

 

 

 

Here's a Method Statement on oil, gas and feed removal from Briggs Marine dated 7 August 2022 (this document shows that Bakkafrost knew on 7 August 2022 - and probably earlier since the report would have taken time to be written - that "explosive" gases were a danger to the public yet they did not inform government agencies until 12 August):

 

 

The 16-page document includes:

 

 

 

 

Read in full online here

 

 

Explosive Revelation: Bakkafrost was informed on 7 August (or earlier) @briggsmarine that "explosive" Hydrogen Sulphide gases were a public health risk off Portree - yet they did not inform govt agencies until 12 August & even after that no public warning was given! @_KateForbes pic.twitter.com/4Ee2XCJCb8

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

 

Another Briggs Marine document - 'Rescue Party Method Statement' - dated 9 August 2022 included:

 

 

 

 

Read 14-page document in full online here

 

 

 

Another Briggs Marine document - undated - includes an image of the 'casualty':

 

 

 

 

Briggs Marine refer to 'sensitive' and 'special' habitats in the vicinity of the toxic feed barge:

 

 

 

 

Download 11-page document in full online here

 

 

 

Nature Scotland told $camon $cotland earlier this week (30 November 2022):

 

From: Alex Turner <Alex.Turner@nature.scot>
Date: Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 4:37 PM
Subject: RE: SSSI/SAC near Portree/Torvaig?
To: salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>

Dear Mr Staniford,

The designations shown on the map are Inner Hebrides and the Minches SAC (designated for Harbour Porpoise) and Rigg - Bile SSSI & SAC (designated for geology, woodland and vegetated sea cliffs).  More details are available via the Sitelink website - https://sitelink.nature.scot/home.

Regards

Alex 

Alex Turner | Operations Officer - Skye & Lochalsh – Central Highland

NatureScot | King’s House, The Green, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9BS | t: 01463 701663 | m: 07789395997

NatureScot | Taigh an Rìgh, An Àilean, Port Rìgh, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach, IV51 9BS

nature.scot | @nature_scot | Scotland’s Nature Agency | Buidheann Nàdair na h-Alba

 

 

 

 

Another undated document by Briggs Marine detailed the planned salvage operation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the 20-page document in full online here

 

 

 

Read more via:

P&J: "Stink raised over release of toxic chemicals from sunken fish farm barge off Skye"

Gael Force's Sinking Feeling: barges scuppered by bad weather or is the 'greed of feed' to blame?

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland - 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

Toxic Gasses Spew From The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost Scotland) Off Portree

 

 

 

Nothing to read in West Highland Free Press on the "explosive" gases which leaked from a salmon farm off Portree - reported @timesscotland @pressjournal @radio_skye @BBCHighlands @STVNews @IntraFish @salmonfarming1 but not @WHFP1 @paul_wood_whfp @KeithMacKenzie1 @_Adam_Gordon pic.twitter.com/eIyh0OlB6P

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 25, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

BBC, ITV, P&J, The Times, Radio Skye, The National, Intrafish & others have featured this news story but not the West Highland Free Press @paul_wood_whfp @_Adam_Gordon @KeithMacKenzie1 @WHFP1 @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP pic.twitter.com/k5hk5N0Suv

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

 

 

ADDENDUM:

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Dec 2, 2022 at 2:52 PM
Subject: Licence for Portree barge salvage?
To: <ms.spillresponse@gov.scot>, <HQ_SOSrep@mcga.gov.uk>, <HQ_counterpollution@mcga.gov.uk>, <ahsh@sepa.org.uk>, <zone36@hmcg.gov.uk>, <navigation@nlb.org.uk>, navigation safety <navigationsafety@mcga.gov.uk>, <emergency.planning@highland.gov.uk>, <marinepollution@nature.scot>, <scc@sepa.org.uk>

Does Bakkafrost Scotland (formerly The Scottish Salmon Company) have a licence to salvage the sunken Gael Force barge off Portree?

 

Since the "toxic" and "explosive" feed barge sank during Storm Arwen on 26 November 2021 and it is now 2 December 2022 then a licence is required.

 

It is understood - via Marine Traffic - that a salvage team including the Wavedancer (a dive boat), the Aqua Reflex (tug) and Matador (a floating crane registered in the Netherlands) are on site now carrying out work. 

 

Are Bakkafrost operating legally or illegally?

 

I have just Tweeted via: https://twitter.com/TheGAAIA/status/1598687894469754880

 

This includes the following emails obtained via FOI and cited via Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Could you please also include a copy of the 'Notice to Mariners' which no doubt has been issued to navigation warning shipping to stay away from the salvage area?

 

How far is the current exclusion zone around the Bakkafrost salmon farm?

 

Have warning signs been erected at the coastal path and along the coast near the salmon farm warning people?

 

A swift reply would be much appreciated. 

 

Presumably, if Bakkafrost is operating without a licence (illegally) then the relevant government agencies have powers to shut down the operation and issue fines?

 

Thanks,

 

Don Staniford

 

Director, $camon $cotland

 

 

 

 

The West Highland Free Press reporting on the salvage operation at Bakkafrost's salmon farm off Portree @GaelForceGroup @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @cllrjfinlayson @HighlandCouncil @MCA_media @ScottishEPA @WHFP1 https://t.co/SNiBfYnIf5 pic.twitter.com/boq68tYFmN

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

Mowi has not reported a seal killed at Groatay since March 2018 - how can a loose bullet casing survive over 4 years on a stormy salmon pen?!

 

Which is more likely: a) Mowi killing a seal illegally? or b) a loose bullet casing staying on the Groatay salmon farm in stormy North Uist waters for over 4 years?https://t.co/GGy9YBZKHZ @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @ScotlandSalmon @PoliceScotland @rspcaassured @FerretScot pic.twitter.com/93cx1eyANJ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

$camon $cotland has ground-truthed claims by Mowi's director of communications (Ian Roberts) that the "loose bullet casing" found during an inspection of Mowi's Groatay salmon farm in North Uist in July 2022 was "several years old" - if Mowi's claims are true then the bullet would have had to survive three harsh Winters and maybe a dozen storms since Mowi last reported a seal killed at Groatay salmon farm in March 2018!

 

 

Mowi's director of comms spinning away a bullet found on @MowiScotlandLtd's salmon cage in July (after the ban on killing seals): "The bullet casing was severely degraded & appeared to be several years old" https://t.co/zNRDuOb6pL #bollocks @ScotlandSalmon @marinescotland pic.twitter.com/xjOanx5ZyB

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

Official statistics on seals killed by salmon farmers since 2011 are published by the Scottish Government online here

 

 

 

Here is data for 2020 which show that Mowi reported 15 seals killed at sites in Kilbrannan Sound (Eilean Grianain/Carradale), Loch Shell on the Isle of Lewis (Caolas a Deas), Loch Ewe (Isle of Ewe), Colonsay, Loch a Choire/Loch Linnhe (Kingairloch), Isle of Skye (Sconser Quarry, Sconser & Harport), Isle of Barra (Hellisay) but none at Groatay salmon farm or any other sites in North Uist [remember that in June 2020 the Scottish Government announced plans to ban the killing of seals by salmon farms - a ban which came into force on 1 February 2021]:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is official seal killing data at Mowi (Marine Harvest) salmon farms in 2019 - including 24 seals killed at salmon farms off the Isle of Lewis (Tabhaigh and North Shore in Loch Erisort), Sound of Jura (BDNC), Loch Alsh (Ardintoul), Isle of Skye (Sconser, Greshornish & Maol Ban), Isle of Muck, Isle of Colonsay, Loch Ewe (Isle Ewe), Loch Sunart (Camas Glas), Loch Torridon and Kilbrannan Sound (Eilean Grianain/Carradale) - but none at Groatay salmon farm:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is official seal killing data for 2018 which shows that Mowi (then called Marine Harvest - the company changed their name in 2019 due to "negative consumer perception" in the name Marine Harvest) reported a seal killed at Groatay salmon farm on 19 March 2018: 

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for an inspection of Mowi's Groatay salmon farm in July 2022 - recently slipped out by the Scottish Government - detailed how a "loose bullet casing" was found on the walkway of pen 32:

 

 

 

Here's video from the Summer of 2020 of a crushed salmon cage https://t.co/mwyML7Ql95
How can Mowi seriously claim a "loose bullet casing" can survive three Winters & dozens of storms on an exposed walkway in North Uist? @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/GGy9YBZKHZ pic.twitter.com/Y0XoPYdFoF

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in February 2021:

 

Named & Shamed: Salmon farmers killed over 1,000 seals since 2011. Don't buy Scottish salmon stained with the blood of Scotland's seals! https://t.co/Y3kY2D6BoI@SSPOsays @scotseafarms @salmon_scottish @ScotlandMowi @LochDuartSalmon @CookeScotland @GriegShetland @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/BWOFSl1mTa

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 27, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whistleblower on RSPCA Assured salmon farmer killing seals illegally: "I know an insider at Mowi who confirms the company shoots a lot more seals than what they report" @ScotlandMowi "Plenty goes unreported" @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @rspcaassured https://t.co/Y3kY2D6BoI pic.twitter.com/c8aKR6iz28

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 26, 2021

 

 

 

The Sunday Times reported in 2017:

 

 

 

Mowi's boss in Scotland, Ben Hadfield, told The Times in 2017: "If seals keep attacking the fish, then, like a farmer kills foxes, we shoot them" @timesscotland @DailyMirror @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon @marinescotland @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua https://t.co/kx9QJrZEhV #Mowi pic.twitter.com/C7XCSHiKkn

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

The Ferret: "Bullet shell found at Western Isles fish farm"

"Loose Bullet Casing" found at Mowi salmon farm - the £10,000 smoking gun to prosecute for illegal killing of seals?

Killer Photos - Sealed with a Kiss of Death from Scottish Salmon!

 

The Ferret: "Row erupts between Marine Scotland and private firm over seal scarers"

 

The Ferret: "Critics claim “landmark victory” after curbs on seal scarers"

 

Blood Salmoney: Bonnie the Seal Mascot for COP26 is Dead in the Water!

 

Seals Blamed as Scapegoats by Bloodthirsty Scottish Salmon!

 

Sunday Mail: "Ex-MSP ridiculed for claiming seals are dangerous to humans"

The Ferret: "Police investigate allegation seal was illegally shot by fish farm"

RSPCA Sponsored Seal Killing Continues Despite US Ban?

Herald On Sunday: "Scottish M&S supplier blames seals for salmon wounds as RSPCA Assured status is suspended"

The Ferret: "£10,000 reward for information on illegal seal killing after police asked to investigate deaths"

£10,000 Reward Offered - Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms in the Cross Hairs!

FOI Disclosure: Seal Licence Breaches by Salmon Farms (reply by Scottish Government on 1 April 2021)

Photo Exclusive: Seals 'Executed' by Scottish Salmon

FOI disclosure from Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme

Police Scotland refuse to name 112 marksmen licenced to kill seals!

Sunday Times: "Sharp rise in seal shootings blew hole in permit scheme - Officials were warned that salmon farmers ‘had no willingness or intention’ to collect detailed data"

Calling All Whistleblowers - Please pass on photos of dead seals killed at salmon farms!

Daily Mirror: "'Nearly 80 seals were legally shot in Scotland in 2020 – highest number in seven years'"

Scottish Salmon's #1 Seal Killer - Norway's 'Scottish' Sea Farms Named & Shamed!

Official Data: 1,000+ seals killed by salmon farms since 2011!

The Ferret: "Salmon companies rapped for breaking rules on shooting seals"

Caught in the Cross-Hairs: Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms!

FOI opens sealed documents on killing by salmon farms

Greedy Salmon Farmers Demand £13 Million Compensation for Seal Attacks!

£5,000 reward offered for information on illegal shooting of seals

Victory Sealed After 50-Year Campaign - But the Battle to Save Marine Mammals from Salmon Farms Continues!

The Guardian: "Scottish salmon farmers to be banned from shooting seals"

Photo Gallery: Seals Against Salmon Farms!

Caught Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea

The Ferret: "Seal scarers used by fish farms branded 'sonic torture'"

Seal shooting at salmon farms doubles before ban

Ban on seal shooting must be watertight

Greens want ban on seal scarers

Seals in the Cross-Hairs of the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Salmon's Slaughter of Seals Has Not Stopped!

Sunday Herald: "Revealed: Scottish Government bid to exempt salmon farming from US seal-killing ban"

RSPCA in firing line over Marine Harvest's seal-killing spree in Scotland - 118 seals killed by Marine Harvest's RSPCA Assured farms since 2011

Marine Harvest: Scotland's #1 Seal Killer

All At Sea: Seal-Killing Salmon Farms

Scottish Salmon Blinded by Seal Killing

The Two Billion Dollar Salmon Ban

Closing the Net On 'Seal-Friendly' Scottish Salmon - last orders on the RSPCA's abuse of 'last resort' killing of seals?

Seal shooting by fish farms to be banned to save exports to US

Cecil the Seal Killers Named & Shamed in Scotland - Call for Boycott of "Seal Unfriendly" Scottish Salmon

Media Splash for Seal-Killing Salmon Farms!

VICTORY: Disclosure of Seal-Killing Salmon Farm Data Ordered by 21 August

Scottish Salmon's Secret Seal Killers! - FOI refusal prompts call for boycott of farmed salmon

Lethal Scottish Farmed Salmon: Serial Seal Killers Named & Shamed!

Scottish Salmon's Seal Killers Named & Shamed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norway-based salmon giant @MowiScotlandLtd has launched pre-packed consumer products at UK retail giant @asda - the Mowi range is also available @sainsburys @Tesco @Ocado & @AmazonFresh meaning it is now available in over 40% of the UK retail landscape https://t.co/jKfSe98Coy pic.twitter.com/nZVh0pHxPJ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

 

 

ADDENDUM:

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 8, 2022 at 6:27 AM
Subject: FOI re. seals & salmon farms since 1 February 2021
To: <CEU@gov.scot>

 

Please provide information on seals and salmon farms since 1 February 2021.

 

Please include photos, videos, letters, emails and any other documents in relation to seals and salmon farms.

 

Please include data and information on any seals trapped, shot, killed and injured at and close to salmon farms. 

 

Please include any warning letters, prosecutions, Marine Scotland Compliance involvement, Police Scotland involvement, US MMPA reference, Cabinet Briefings, press discussions and any other information relating to seals killed/injured/impacted by salmon farms.

 

Please include any reference to The Ferret, Mowi, The Sunday Times and any other media discussion of seals and salmon farms. 

 

Please consider this a formal FOI request under the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations.

 

Please provide a receipt for this FOI request.

 

Please provide the information electronically.

 

Thanks,

 

Don Staniford

 

Director, $camon $cotland

The Ferret: "Bullet shell found at Western Isles fish farm"

 

 

 

The Ferret reported (1 December 2022): 

 

 

➡️ NEW: The Scottish Government has launched an investigation after a bullet shell was found during an inspection of a fish farm off North Uist. https://t.co/CSFmyLSfKR

— The Ferret (@FerretScot) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mowi's director of comms spinning away a bullet found on @MowiScotlandLtd's salmon cage in July (after the ban on killing seals): "The bullet casing was severely degraded & appeared to be several years old" https://t.co/zNRDuOb6pL #bollocks @ScotlandSalmon @marinescotland pic.twitter.com/xjOanx5ZyB

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

 

Mowi's boss in Scotland, Ben Hadfield, told The Sunday Times in 2017:

 

"If seals keep attacking the fish, then, like a farmer kills foxes, we shoot them" said Ben Hadfield in 2017 @ScotlandMowi "We are trying to find ways around it — we want to get down to zero seal culling" @SundayTimesScothttps://t.co/ZlObA7yLxv @tavishscott @SSPOsays pic.twitter.com/wBXqOxawPy

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 6, 2021

 

 

Mowi's boss in Scotland, Ben Hadfield, told The Times in 2017: "If seals keep attacking the fish, then, like a farmer kills foxes, we shoot them" @timesscotland @DailyMirror @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon @marinescotland @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua https://t.co/kx9QJrZEhV #Mowi pic.twitter.com/C7XCSHiKkn

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch (renamed $camon $cotland in February 2022) has recevied various tip offs re. the killing of seals by Mowi. 

 

Email just in from an industry whistleblower: "A long-standing Mowi manager once shot a seal on Lewis with a shotgun & laughed as the poor creature writhed around screaming as it died slowly & painfully with a shotgun wound to the side of the head" @ScotlandMowi @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/1gsKU8l1eP

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 26, 2021

 

 

 

A press release issued in February 2021 - and media splash in The Daily Mirror - stemmed from a tip-off from a whistlelower in October 2020:

 

 

 

Whistleblower on RSPCA Assured salmon farmer killing seals illegally: "I know an insider at Mowi who confirms the company shoots a lot more seals than what they report" @ScotlandMowi "Plenty goes unreported" @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @rspcaassured https://t.co/Y3kY2D6BoI pic.twitter.com/c8aKR6iz28

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 26, 2021

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in February 2021:

 

Photo Exclusive: Juvenile harbour seal killed by @ScotlandMowi in Loch Ewe - authorised by the SSPCA & certified via @rspcaassured but reported by @marinescotland to @policescotland for being killed without licence https://t.co/OlIMhcxoBJ@SealScotland @SOSealsFund @SSPCA_Mike pic.twitter.com/8xOsxTEYzS

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 25, 2021

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in February 2021:

 

Named & Shamed: Salmon farmers killed over 1,000 seals since 2011. Don't buy Scottish salmon stained with the blood of Scotland's seals! https://t.co/Y3kY2D6BoI@SSPOsays @scotseafarms @salmon_scottish @ScotlandMowi @LochDuartSalmon @CookeScotland @GriegShetland @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/BWOFSl1mTa

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 27, 2021

 

 

 

 

Download PDF in full via: Data Analysis - Lethal Scottish Salmon: the Norwegian-owned companies killing seals in Scotland! (1,000+ seals slaughtered since 2011)

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

"Loose Bullet Casing" found at Mowi salmon farm - the £10,000 smoking gun to prosecute for illegal killing of seals?

Killer Photos - Sealed with a Kiss of Death from Scottish Salmon!

 

The Ferret: "Row erupts between Marine Scotland and private firm over seal scarers"

 

The Ferret: "Critics claim “landmark victory” after curbs on seal scarers"

 

Blood Salmoney: Bonnie the Seal Mascot for COP26 is Dead in the Water!

 

Seals Blamed as Scapegoats by Bloodthirsty Scottish Salmon!

 

Sunday Mail: "Ex-MSP ridiculed for claiming seals are dangerous to humans"

The Ferret: "Police investigate allegation seal was illegally shot by fish farm"

RSPCA Sponsored Seal Killing Continues Despite US Ban?

Herald On Sunday: "Scottish M&S supplier blames seals for salmon wounds as RSPCA Assured status is suspended"

The Ferret: "£10,000 reward for information on illegal seal killing after police asked to investigate deaths"

£10,000 Reward Offered - Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms in the Cross Hairs!

FOI Disclosure: Seal Licence Breaches by Salmon Farms (reply by Scottish Government on 1 April 2021)

Photo Exclusive: Seals 'Executed' by Scottish Salmon

FOI disclosure from Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme

Police Scotland refuse to name 112 marksmen licenced to kill seals!

Sunday Times: "Sharp rise in seal shootings blew hole in permit scheme - Officials were warned that salmon farmers ‘had no willingness or intention’ to collect detailed data"

Calling All Whistleblowers - Please pass on photos of dead seals killed at salmon farms!

Daily Mirror: "'Nearly 80 seals were legally shot in Scotland in 2020 – highest number in seven years'"

Scottish Salmon's #1 Seal Killer - Norway's 'Scottish' Sea Farms Named & Shamed!

Official Data: 1,000+ seals killed by salmon farms since 2011!

The Ferret: "Salmon companies rapped for breaking rules on shooting seals"

Caught in the Cross-Hairs: Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms!

FOI opens sealed documents on killing by salmon farms

Greedy Salmon Farmers Demand £13 Million Compensation for Seal Attacks!

£5,000 reward offered for information on illegal shooting of seals

Victory Sealed After 50-Year Campaign - But the Battle to Save Marine Mammals from Salmon Farms Continues!

The Guardian: "Scottish salmon farmers to be banned from shooting seals"

Photo Gallery: Seals Against Salmon Farms!

Caught Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea

The Ferret: "Seal scarers used by fish farms branded 'sonic torture'"

Seal shooting at salmon farms doubles before ban

Ban on seal shooting must be watertight

Greens want ban on seal scarers

Seals in the Cross-Hairs of the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Salmon's Slaughter of Seals Has Not Stopped!

Sunday Herald: "Revealed: Scottish Government bid to exempt salmon farming from US seal-killing ban"

RSPCA in firing line over Marine Harvest's seal-killing spree in Scotland - 118 seals killed by Marine Harvest's RSPCA Assured farms since 2011

Marine Harvest: Scotland's #1 Seal Killer

All At Sea: Seal-Killing Salmon Farms

Scottish Salmon Blinded by Seal Killing

The Two Billion Dollar Salmon Ban

Closing the Net On 'Seal-Friendly' Scottish Salmon - last orders on the RSPCA's abuse of 'last resort' killing of seals?

Seal shooting by fish farms to be banned to save exports to US

Cecil the Seal Killers Named & Shamed in Scotland - Call for Boycott of "Seal Unfriendly" Scottish Salmon

Media Splash for Seal-Killing Salmon Farms!

VICTORY: Disclosure of Seal-Killing Salmon Farm Data Ordered by 21 August

Scottish Salmon's Secret Seal Killers! - FOI refusal prompts call for boycott of farmed salmon

Lethal Scottish Farmed Salmon: Serial Seal Killers Named & Shamed!

Scottish Salmon's Seal Killers Named & Shamed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does anyone know the names of the 'nominated marksmen' who have killed 1,000+ seals at Scottish salmon farms since 2011? @policescotland @marinescotland @SSPOsays @salmon_scottish @scotseafarms @ScotlandMowi @GriegShetland @tavishscott @LochDuartSalmonhttps://t.co/OlIMhcxoBJ pic.twitter.com/kIa8v7ghn2

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 26, 2021

 

 

 

 

Back in 2018, Lizzie Daly said she was not going to stand by whilst seals are being shot. Thanks to her shocking video footage @CookeScotland was fined £2,000 @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott https://t.co/M00n4n5A0l
But the killing continues! https://t.co/u5EQnrC2vR @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/9lZpuocfe6

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

"Loose Bullet Casing" found at Mowi salmon farm - the £10,000 smoking gun to prosecute for illegal killing of seals?

 

 

Calling All Whistleblowers: Animal Concern & Scottish Salmon Watch is offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to a successful prosecution of a salmon farmer for killing seals https://t.co/8g1Ux1tZ98 @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon @LochDuartSalmon @CookeScotland https://t.co/U8qRsqBrqu pic.twitter.com/Fh9ogF7Qwt

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for an inspection of Mowi's Groatay salmon farm in July 2022 - recently slipped out by the Scottish Government - could be the smoking gun required to prosecute a salmon farmer for the illegal killing of seals in Scotland (if you're reading this and have more evidence please pass on via salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com and there could be a £10,000 reward if it leads to a successful police prosecution!): 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don Staniford, Director of $camon $cotland, said in a press statement (29 November 2022):

"A bullet casing found at the scene of the crime seems to be the smoking gun needed to finally convict Mowi for the illegal killing of seals after decades of rumours.  This damning evidence jeopardises Scottish salmon's $200 million exports to the United States.  The killing of seals is not only illegal but it's ethically and morally wrong.  Yet, Mowi's Groatay salmon farm is shamefully certified as 'welfare friendly' via RSPCA Assured; greenwashed as 'farmed responsibly' via the Aquaculture Stewardship Council and sold by Sainsburys and Tesco as 'responsibly sourced'.  The RSPCA, ASC and supermarkets should do the right thing and immediately fire Mowi.  You'd have to put a gun to my head for me to even consider eating Scottish salmon."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Robins of the charity Animal Concern said in a press statement (29 November 2022):  "We have a £5,000 reward for information leading to the successful prosecution of anyone shooting seals in Scotland.  If someone witnessed this bullet being used I’d like to hear from them.  Police divers should search beneath the farm cages to see if there is more evidence indicating illegal persecution of seals or other wildlife."

 

 

 

 

John Robins from the campaign group Animal Concern accused the ­Government of ignoring breaches to the seal shooting rules. He has offered a £5,000 reward for information leading to a conviction for ­illegally shooting seals at salmon farms @DailyMirror https://t.co/scDD38SSQl

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 28, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ex-policeman Mark Carter of Seal Scotland said in a press statement (29 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mowi's Groatay salmon farm is one of the most remote in Scotland - located in the Sound of Harris in North Uist in the Outer Hebrides:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In June 2020, Scottish Ministers announced a ban on the killing of seals to comply with the Marine Mammal Protection Act in the United States (the US MMPA came into force on 1 January 2022 after a five-year exemption period):

 

 

 

Salmon farmers will be banned from shooting seals & face tougher controls on using acoustic devices @guardian @severincarrell https://t.co/w2Dh4tCQUA Scottish ministers are introducing the measures due to fears the US could ban salmon @marinescotland @NOAA @scotgp @nature_scot

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) June 17, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new Scottish law came into force on 1 February 2021 - with Animal Concern announcing a £5,000 reward:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GenusWave reported on their website in 2021 that the killing of seals would be outlawed by the US MMPA on 1 January 2022:

 

 

"The clock is ticking louder and louder.  All salmon-producing nations face a ban on exporting to the US after January 1, 2022, unless they comply with the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), which prohibits conventional acoustic deterrent devices (ADDs) and the shooting of seals. Such a prohibition will leave many salmon farmers without an effective, cost-efficient way to reduce predation."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in September 2016, the Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture reported on the 5-year exemption period which started on 1 January 2017 (i.e. until 1 January 2022 - as confirmed by the US Government):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ban on the killing of seals was a long time coming. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite the ban on seal killing in Scotland and the US MMPA ban, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's latest 'Salmon Standard' (Version 1.4) published in September 2022 still permits the killing of seals:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The latest 'RSPCA welfare standards for farmed Atlantic salmon' published in February 2021 also still permits the killing of seals "as a last resort only, i.e. when all available non-lethal deterrents have been effectively deployed" and even includes a 'Seal Cull' reporting form for salmon farmers to fill out in blood red biro after they've shot a seal illegally:

 

 

 

 

The latest version of the RSPCA's farmed salmon standards - published in February 2021 - makes for alarming reading (especially if you're unlucky to be a seal living near a salmon farm) @rspcaassured @RSPCA_PATeam @RSPCAChris @RSPCA_official @scotseafarms https://t.co/64dNCuCC3Z pic.twitter.com/XESYFQYR3k

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) May 13, 2021

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in July 2021:

 

50,000+ Scottish salmon scared to death by seals claim @salmon_scottish "Mortality occuring from seals spooking fish" report @marinescotland "Seals were spooking them causing them to injure themselves" @SSPOsays @Try_Lochlander @MairiGougeon @scotgov https://t.co/BY89Akfn71 pic.twitter.com/Gu1lkFH5oX

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 6, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

The Sunday Mail reported in July 2021:

 

Professor Callum Roberts, of Exeter Uni, said: “These animals are friendly. The salmon farms are trying to put a spin on their indefensible practice of shooting seals” @Daily_Record https://t.co/byC8ot3Xqh @tavishscott @SSPOsays @marinescotland @HamishMacdonell @SealScotland

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 4, 2021

 

 

 

 

The Ferret reported in June 2021:

 

 

 

"Those found guilty of breaking the new laws could face a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both" (@scotgov) https://t.co/SX9fsSONf7 @FerretScot
Which members of @rspcaassured 'Scottish' Salmon have killed seals illegally? @scotseafarms @SSPOsays

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) June 8, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In April 2021, Animal Concern and Scottish Salmon Watch issued a £10,000 reward for information leading to a successful prosecution for the illegal killing of seals on salmon farms.

 

 

A £10,000 reward has been offered for information on the illegal shooting of seals after it emerged Police Scotland and the National Wildlife Crime Unit were passed intelligence reports about a number of killings.https://t.co/opzT3BtGvC

— The Ferret (@FerretScot) April 26, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

The £10,000 reward offer followed a FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government on 1 April 2021 which detailed 'Intelligence Reports' where seals were suspected of being killed by salmon farmers:

 

The Scottish Government's FOI disclosure (1 April 2021) included this Intelligence Report at Mowi's Carradale salmon farm in 2018:

 

 

 

Email just in from an industry whistleblower: "A long-standing Mowi manager once shot a seal on Lewis with a shotgun & laughed as the poor creature writhed around screaming as it died slowly & painfully with a shotgun wound to the side of the head" @ScotlandMowi @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/1gsKU8l1eP

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 26, 2021

 

 

In March 2021, Scottish Salmon Watch issued a call out for photos of dead seals. 

 

Calling All Whistleblowers - please pass on photos of dead seals killed at salmon farms! https://t.co/xFcHeR4kEv@SSPOsays @salmon_scottish @scotseafarms @ScotlandMowi @GriegShetland @CookeScotland @LochDuartSalmon @WesterRossSalmo @Try_Lochlander @ptfss @strandings @tavishscott pic.twitter.com/NTpiU44pQ1

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 1, 2021

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch published photos of seals killed by salmon farms obtained via Freedom of Information:  

 

Photo Exclusive: Seals 'Executed' by Scottish Salmon https://t.co/88Kn1lZwpx@SSPOsays @salmon_scottish @scotseafarms @strandings @marinescotland @NOAA @RuralPolicySRUC @SRUC @rspcaassured @SSPCA_Mike @SSPCA_Kirsteen @RSPCAChris @Try_Lochlander @coopuk @marksandspencer @Tesco pic.twitter.com/XDimhpTbXi

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 8, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next time you see Scottish salmon in the supermarket please think of 1,000+ seals killed on salmon farms since 2011. If you buy Scottish salmon you have blood on your hands! https://t.co/88Kn1lZwpx @salmon_scottish @SSPOsays @Try_Lochlander @coopuk @ciwf @PETAUK @onekindtweet pic.twitter.com/0IJ7kz67Rb

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 8, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

The Sunday Times reported in March 2021:

 

John Robins of Animal Concern in today's @SundayTimesScot: "Seals appear to have been killed & disposed of illegally as a matter of course" @SSPOsays @ScotlandMowi @salmon_scottish @scotseafarms @GriegShetland @CookeScotland @LochDuartSalmon @tavishscott https://t.co/ax00cS341M pic.twitter.com/CcRJjenlef

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 7, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

In February 2021, Scottish Salmon Watch Tweeted:

 

 

Whistleblower on RSPCA Assured salmon farmer killing seals illegally: "I know an insider at Mowi who confirms the company shoots a lot more seals than what they report" @ScotlandMowi "Plenty goes unreported" @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @rspcaassured https://t.co/Y3kY2D6BoI pic.twitter.com/c8aKR6iz28

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 26, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

A press release issued in February 2021 - and media splash in The Daily Mirror - stemmed from a tip-off from a whistlelower in October 2020:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in February 2021:

 

 

Photo Exclusive: Juvenile harbour seal killed by @ScotlandMowi in Loch Ewe - authorised by the SSPCA & certified via @rspcaassured but reported by @marinescotland to @policescotland for being killed without licence https://t.co/OlIMhcxoBJ@SealScotland @SOSealsFund @SSPCA_Mike pic.twitter.com/8xOsxTEYzS

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 25, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the steps RSPCA-certified Marine Harvest (Mowi) go through before dispatching (i.e. killing) seals at 'Bay of the Dead Heads' salmon farm @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @nature_scot @TheSoundOfJura @ewangkennedy @SealifeA @rspcaassured @whalesorg @scotgp @MairiGougeon pic.twitter.com/eK2f0V9Tcs

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) June 11, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

The Sunday Post reported in February 2019:

 

"Following an investigation by Marine Scotland Cooke Aquaculture was fined £2,000 for failing to report the killing of seals in Basta Voe to the licencing authority within 48 hours"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch video reports from wildlife champion Lizzie Daly:

 

 

 

 

 

Back in 2018, Lizzie Daly said she was not going to stand by whilst seals are being shot. Thanks to her shocking video footage @CookeScotland was fined £2,000 @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott https://t.co/M00n4n5A0l
But the killing continues! https://t.co/u5EQnrC2vR @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/9lZpuocfe6

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

 

The Sunday Times quoted Mowi boss Ben Hadfield in 2017 justifying the killing of seals:

 

 

 

 

"If seals keep attacking the fish, then, like a farmer kills foxes, we shoot them" said Ben Hadfield in 2017 @ScotlandMowi "We are trying to find ways around it — we want to get down to zero seal culling" @SundayTimesScothttps://t.co/ZlObA7yLxv @tavishscott @SSPOsays pic.twitter.com/wBXqOxawPy

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 6, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

The illegal killing of seals by Mowi (then named Marine Harvest) in Loch Alsh was raised back in 2005 via BBC News - following photographic evidence taken by tourist operator Nigel Smith:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's photos of seals killed by Mowi in Loch Alsh - as sourced from tourist operator Nigel Smith:

 

Download high res image online here

 

 

 

Download image online here

 

 

Download high res image online here

 

 

 

Download image online here

 

 

Download image online here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

 

The Ferret: "Row erupts between Marine Scotland and private firm over seal scarers"

 

The Ferret: "Critics claim “landmark victory” after curbs on seal scarers"

 

Blood Salmoney: Bonnie the Seal Mascot for COP26 is Dead in the Water!

 

Seals Blamed as Scapegoats by Bloodthirsty Scottish Salmon!

 

Sunday Mail: "Ex-MSP ridiculed for claiming seals are dangerous to humans"

The Ferret: "Police investigate allegation seal was illegally shot by fish farm"

RSPCA Sponsored Seal Killing Continues Despite US Ban?

Herald On Sunday: "Scottish M&S supplier blames seals for salmon wounds as RSPCA Assured status is suspended"

The Ferret: "£10,000 reward for information on illegal seal killing after police asked to investigate deaths"

£10,000 Reward Offered - Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms in the Cross Hairs!

FOI Disclosure: Seal Licence Breaches by Salmon Farms (reply by Scottish Government on 1 April 2021)

Photo Exclusive: Seals 'Executed' by Scottish Salmon

FOI disclosure from Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme

Police Scotland refuse to name 112 marksmen licenced to kill seals!

Sunday Times: "Sharp rise in seal shootings blew hole in permit scheme - Officials were warned that salmon farmers ‘had no willingness or intention’ to collect detailed data"

Calling All Whistleblowers - Please pass on photos of dead seals killed at salmon farms!

Daily Mirror: "'Nearly 80 seals were legally shot in Scotland in 2020 – highest number in seven years'"

Scottish Salmon's #1 Seal Killer - Norway's 'Scottish' Sea Farms Named & Shamed!

Official Data: 1,000+ seals killed by salmon farms since 2011!

The Ferret: "Salmon companies rapped for breaking rules on shooting seals"

Caught in the Cross-Hairs: Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms!

FOI opens sealed documents on killing by salmon farms

Greedy Salmon Farmers Demand £13 Million Compensation for Seal Attacks!

£5,000 reward offered for information on illegal shooting of seals

Victory Sealed After 50-Year Campaign - But the Battle to Save Marine Mammals from Salmon Farms Continues!

The Guardian: "Scottish salmon farmers to be banned from shooting seals"

Photo Gallery: Seals Against Salmon Farms!

Caught Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea

The Ferret: "Seal scarers used by fish farms branded 'sonic torture'"

Seal shooting at salmon farms doubles before ban

Ban on seal shooting must be watertight

Greens want ban on seal scarers

Seals in the Cross-Hairs of the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Salmon's Slaughter of Seals Has Not Stopped!

Sunday Herald: "Revealed: Scottish Government bid to exempt salmon farming from US seal-killing ban"

RSPCA in firing line over Marine Harvest's seal-killing spree in Scotland - 118 seals killed by Marine Harvest's RSPCA Assured farms since 2011

Marine Harvest: Scotland's #1 Seal Killer

All At Sea: Seal-Killing Salmon Farms

Scottish Salmon Blinded by Seal Killing

The Two Billion Dollar Salmon Ban

Closing the Net On 'Seal-Friendly' Scottish Salmon - last orders on the RSPCA's abuse of 'last resort' killing of seals?

Seal shooting by fish farms to be banned to save exports to US

Cecil the Seal Killers Named & Shamed in Scotland - Call for Boycott of "Seal Unfriendly" Scottish Salmon

Media Splash for Seal-Killing Salmon Farms!

VICTORY: Disclosure of Seal-Killing Salmon Farm Data Ordered by 21 August

Scottish Salmon's Secret Seal Killers! - FOI refusal prompts call for boycott of farmed salmon

Lethal Scottish Farmed Salmon: Serial Seal Killers Named & Shamed!

Scottish Salmon's Seal Killers Named & Shamed!

 

 

 

 

Named & Shamed: Salmon farmers killed over 1,000 seals since 2011. Don't buy Scottish salmon stained with the blood of Scotland's seals! https://t.co/Y3kY2D6BoI@SSPOsays @scotseafarms @salmon_scottish @ScotlandMowi @LochDuartSalmon @CookeScotland @GriegShetland @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/BWOFSl1mTa

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 27, 2021

 

 

Scottish Government 'Case Information' reveals that an 'Electric Fence' has been installed by The Scottish Salmon Company to deter 'spooky' seals from leaping onto walkways https://t.co/WK0SjATflz
How many seals have been electrocuted? @salmon_scottish @SSPOsays @marinescotland pic.twitter.com/KMV6MwRCA6

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 26, 2021

 

 

Mowi's director of comms spinning away a bullet found on @MowiScotlandLtd's salmon cage in July (after the ban on killing seals): "The bullet casing was severely degraded & appeared to be several years old" https://t.co/zNRDuOb6pL #bollocks @ScotlandSalmon @marinescotland pic.twitter.com/xjOanx5ZyB

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

Killer Photos - Sealed with a Kiss of Death from Scottish Salmon!

 

Calling All Whistleblowers - please pass on photos of dead seals killed by salmon farmers @MowiScotlandLtd @CookeScotland @GriegShetland @scotseafarms @LochDuartSalmon @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond https://t.co/u5EQnrC2vR
If you have bullets, video footage etc please pass on! pic.twitter.com/8epykGuk5v

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

$camon $cotland has brought together a shocking photo gallery of seals killed in the vicinity of salmon farms - if you have any more photos or would like to blow the whistle on seals killed by salmon farms please email salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com (Animal Concern and $camon $cotland/Scottish Salmon Watch have  offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to a successful prosecution): 

 

 

 

 

 

Email just in from an industry whistleblower: "A long-standing Mowi manager once shot a seal on Lewis with a shotgun & laughed as the poor creature writhed around screaming as it died slowly & painfully with a shotgun wound to the side of the head" @ScotlandMowi @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/1gsKU8l1eP

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 26, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish salmon served with a side of dead seal anyone? https://t.co/88Kn1lZwpx @salmon_scottish @Try_Lochlander @coopuk @SSPOsays @Sygazette @WHFP1 @pressjournal @BBCScotlandNews @HebridesNews @strandings @marinescotland pic.twitter.com/doOXwCeKAy

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 8, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whistleblower on RSPCA Assured salmon farmer killing seals illegally: "I know an insider at Mowi who confirms the company shoots a lot more seals than what they report" @ScotlandMowi "Plenty goes unreported" @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @rspcaassured https://t.co/Y3kY2D6BoI pic.twitter.com/c8aKR6iz28

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 26, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m not going to stand by and do nothing while seals in the UK are being shot. They’re natural predators. We are in their environment. Enough is enough. If you also want the shooting of seals in Scotland to be STOPPED then share this video https://t.co/Xe3fnjqYyi #SilentSlaughter pic.twitter.com/hig9e8fDl6

— Lizzie Daly (@LizzieDalyWild) August 31, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calling All Whistleblowers - please pass on photos of dead seals killed at salmon farms! https://t.co/xFcHeR4kEv@SSPOsays @salmon_scottish @scotseafarms @ScotlandMowi @GriegShetland @CookeScotland @LochDuartSalmon @WesterRossSalmo @Try_Lochlander @ptfss @strandings @tavishscott pic.twitter.com/NTpiU44pQ1

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 1, 2021

 

 

Read more via:

The Ferret: "Row erupts between Marine Scotland and private firm over seal scarers"

 

The Ferret: "Critics claim “landmark victory” after curbs on seal scarers"

 

Blood Salmoney: Bonnie the Seal Mascot for COP26 is Dead in the Water! 

 

Seals Blamed as Scapegoats by Bloodthirsty Scottish Salmon!

 

Sunday Mail: "Ex-MSP ridiculed for claiming seals are dangerous to humans"

The Ferret: "Police investigate allegation seal was illegally shot by fish farm"

RSPCA Sponsored Seal Killing Continues Despite US Ban?

Herald On Sunday: "Scottish M&S supplier blames seals for salmon wounds as RSPCA Assured status is suspended"

The Ferret: "£10,000 reward for information on illegal seal killing after police asked to investigate deaths"

£10,000 Reward Offered - Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms in the Cross Hairs!

FOI Disclosure: Seal Licence Breaches by Salmon Farms (reply by Scottish Government on 1 April 2021)

Photo Exclusive: Seals 'Executed' by Scottish Salmon

FOI disclosure from Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme

Police Scotland refuse to name 112 marksmen licenced to kill seals!

Sunday Times: "Sharp rise in seal shootings blew hole in permit scheme - Officials were warned that salmon farmers ‘had no willingness or intention’ to collect detailed data"

Calling All Whistleblowers - Please pass on photos of dead seals killed at salmon farms!

Daily Mirror: "'Nearly 80 seals were legally shot in Scotland in 2020 – highest number in seven years'"

Scottish Salmon's #1 Seal Killer - Norway's 'Scottish' Sea Farms Named & Shamed!

Official Data: 1,000+ seals killed by salmon farms since 2011!

The Ferret: "Salmon companies rapped for breaking rules on shooting seals"

Caught in the Cross-Hairs: Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms!

FOI opens sealed documents on killing by salmon farms

Greedy Salmon Farmers Demand £13 Million Compensation for Seal Attacks!

£5,000 reward offered for information on illegal shooting of seals

Victory Sealed After 50-Year Campaign - But the Battle to Save Marine Mammals from Salmon Farms Continues!

The Guardian: "Scottish salmon farmers to be banned from shooting seals"

Photo Gallery: Seals Against Salmon Farms!

Caught Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea

The Ferret: "Seal scarers used by fish farms branded 'sonic torture'"

Seal shooting at salmon farms doubles before ban

Ban on seal shooting must be watertight

Greens want ban on seal scarers

Seals in the Cross-Hairs of the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Salmon's Slaughter of Seals Has Not Stopped!

Sunday Herald: "Revealed: Scottish Government bid to exempt salmon farming from US seal-killing ban"

RSPCA in firing line over Marine Harvest's seal-killing spree in Scotland - 118 seals killed by Marine Harvest's RSPCA Assured farms since 2011

Marine Harvest: Scotland's #1 Seal Killer

All At Sea: Seal-Killing Salmon Farms

Scottish Salmon Blinded by Seal Killing

The Two Billion Dollar Salmon Ban

Closing the Net On 'Seal-Friendly' Scottish Salmon - last orders on the RSPCA's abuse of 'last resort' killing of seals?

Seal shooting by fish farms to be banned to save exports to US

Cecil the Seal Killers Named & Shamed in Scotland - Call for Boycott of "Seal Unfriendly" Scottish Salmon

Media Splash for Seal-Killing Salmon Farms!

VICTORY: Disclosure of Seal-Killing Salmon Farm Data Ordered by 21 August

Scottish Salmon's Secret Seal Killers! - FOI refusal prompts call for boycott of farmed salmon

Lethal Scottish Farmed Salmon: Serial Seal Killers Named & Shamed!

Scottish Salmon's Seal Killers Named & Shamed!

 

 

Photo Exclusive: Seals 'Executed' by Scottish Salmon https://t.co/88Kn1lZwpx@SSPOsays @salmon_scottish @scotseafarms @strandings @marinescotland @NOAA @RuralPolicySRUC @SRUC @rspcaassured @SSPCA_Mike @SSPCA_Kirsteen @RSPCAChris @Try_Lochlander @coopuk @marksandspencer @Tesco pic.twitter.com/XDimhpTbXi

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 8, 2021

 

 

 

Photo Exclusive: Juvenile harbour seal killed by @ScotlandMowi in Loch Ewe - authorised by the SSPCA & certified via @rspcaassured but reported by @marinescotland to @policescotland for being killed without licence https://t.co/OlIMhcxoBJ@SealScotland @SOSealsFund @SSPCA_Mike pic.twitter.com/8xOsxTEYzS

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 25, 2021

 

Letter to Scottish Ministers on PRV/HSMI prevalence in salmon farms, hatcheries & processing plants in Scotland

 

 

 

 

 

In a letter to Scottish Ministers (28 November 2022), $camon $cotland calls on the Scottish Government to come clean on the extent of PRV/HSMI in Scottish salmon farms (including hatcheries) and processing plants: 

 

 

 

The letter showcases an analysis of Scottish Government 'Case Information' and 'Mortality Event Reports' published by the Fish Health Inspectorate which details PRV/HSMI at 37 salmon farms across Scotland since November 2017 (with many more cases reported since data became publicly available in 2013):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REVEALED: Data @scotgov shows 37 salmon farms across Scotland reported PRV/HSMI since November 2017: 14 Bakkafrost @Folketrygdfond; 10 @MowiScotlandLtd; 6 @scotseafarms; 4 @GriegShetland; 2 @LochDuartSalmon & 1 @CookeScotland https://t.co/TZgmqNv5VM @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/Wgad7GSCUh

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 29, 2022

 

 

 

 

The letter to Scottish Ministers concludes:

 

 

 

 

Mapped: Scottish salmon's disease-ridden & virus-laden salmon farms https://t.co/TZgmqNNf9U
What safeguards are in place to stop the spread of PRV/HSMI? @scotgov @marinescotland @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon @MowiScotlandLtd @scotseafarms @GriegShetland @LochDuartSalmon pic.twitter.com/gaSWwtFTMy

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 29, 2022

 

 

Read the letter to Scottish Ministers online here

 

 

 

 

Read more via a press release (29 November 2022) online here

 

 

 

 

 

 

REVEALED: 'Case Information' published by @scotgov shows Mowi's Carradale salmon farm in Kilbrannan Sound tested positve for PRV-1 in August 2020 - 10 days before 48,834 salmon escaped into rivers up & down the West coast! #PRV #HSMI #Disease #Virus @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/M3ftFwPdHB

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 29, 2022

 

 

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 28, 2022 at 10:22 AM
Subject: Letter & FOI to Scottish Ministers re. PRV/HSMI
To: <scottish.ministers@gov.scot>
Cc: <directormarinescotland@gov.scot>, <marinescotland@gov.scot>

 

Please pass on a letter to Scottish Ministers - including a FOI - on PRV/HSMI.

 

Download the letter dated 28 November 2022 online here (it can be emailed but it is 13 MB and may bounce). 

 

The FOI part of the letter - at the end on p87 - includes:

 

Please consider this a formal request for information under the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations:

 

How many wild fish have been tested by the Scottish Government (including Marine Scotland Science) for PRV/HSMI since 1 January 2019?

 

How many farmed salmon in sea cages, freshwater lochs, hatcheries, harvesting stations and processing plants have been tested by the Scottish Government (including Marine Scotland Science) for PRV/HSMI since 1 January 2019?

 

Please provide an annual breakdown and provide documents (including photos) detailing testing, sampling, data analysis, scientific studies and any information pertaining to PRV/HSMI.  Please provide copies of any Cabinet Briefings, internal memos, letters, correspondence with salmon farming companies and diagnostic testing companies and emails.  

 

Please provide any information held by the Scottish Government on testing of farmed salmon and wild fish for PRV/HSMI – including any commercial testing carried out by salmon farming companies such as Mowi, Bakkafrost/The Scottish Salmon Company, Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk), Grieg Seafood, Cooke Aquaculture, Loch Duart, Kames and Organic Sea Harvest as well as private diagnostic testing by companies such as Patogen and the Fish Vet Group. 

 

In light of the recent science on PRV/HSMI from Canada, $camon $cotland urges the Scottish Government to reconsider and reverse previous refusals to disclose data on PRV/HSMI testing of farmed salmon.

 

Please provide the information electronically and please provide a receipt for this FOI request.   

 

A formal reply to the concerns raised in this letter from Scottish Ministers would also be much appreciated.

 

Please let me know if you need a PDF copy (13 MB) emailed. 

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Don Staniford

 

Director, $camon $cotland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

Unsatisfactory Biosecurity: Disease Control 'Improvement' & 'Further Investigation' Required at Processing Plants Operated by Mowi & Loch Duart

Letter to Scottish Ministers: Please Close the Border to Imports of Salmon Ova, Parr & Smolts!

Iceland Still Importing Ova to 'Scottish' Salmon Farms Despite Disease Risks

Game Ova for Imports & Exports: Close the Borders to Stop the Spread of Diseases & Genetic Pollution!

Infectious Salmon Anaemia Reported at Landcatch’s Ormsary Hatchery in November – was ISA imported via infected salmon eggs (ova) from Iceland?

Stop the Scottish Salmondemic - please avoid disease-ridden farmed salmon like the proverbial plague!

ISA hits Scottish Sea Farms owner SalMar in Norway - how many hidden cases are lurking on salmon farms in Scotland?

Letter to Scottish Ministers calling for a ban on ova imports from Iceland

FOI Reveals Virus-Laden Salmon Slip Net & Into Scottish Waters

Norwegian Salmon Egg Exports Banned Due to Disease Risks

Game Ova for Scottish Salmon - Deadly disease delays egg imports from AquaGen in Norway

Deadly virus outbreak prompted fears over import of fish farm eggs to Scotland

Letter to Scottish Ministers: "Bio-security Protocols & Safety Precautions re. Ova Imports"

Salmondemic Plagues Scotland

Virus-Laden Farmed Salmon - FOI reveals over half of samples test positive for Piscine Reovirus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADDENDUM:

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 28, 2022 at 11:30 AM
Subject: PRV/HSMI risks to wild fish - FMS position/tests/science?
To: <general@fms.scot>

 

Please pass this email onto FMS's Aquaculture Interactions Officer and your scientific committee. 

 

Does FMS have a policy position or press statement in relation to the risks of PRV/HSMI to wild fish (especially in relation to the mass escape of 48,834 PRV-infected farmed salmon from Mowi's Carradale salmon farm in August 2020)?

 

You should be aware of a recently published scientific paper:

 

‘Detection and phylogenetic assessment of PRV-1 via sampling of biological materials released from salmon farms in British Columbia’

 

Scientists in Canada collected biological samples adjacent to 56 marine net pens from five different companies and two farm salmon processing plants with 70% of samples testing positive for Piscine orthoreovirus-1 (PRV-1). This compares to Marine Scotland Science detecting PRV in 52% (399 out of 774 samples) of farmed salmon tested in 2018/2019. 

 

$camon $cotland (formerly called Scottish Salmon Watch) today wrote to Scottish Ministers calling for testing of marine and freshwater salmon farms, hatcheries, harvesting stations and processing plants for PRV/HSMI - read our letter online here (see below for an email to Scottish Ministers which includes a FOI on testing for PRV/HSMI in wild fish). 

 

Based on information published online by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate, $camon $cotland identify 37 salmon farms across Scotland where PRV/HSMI has been detected since November 2017.  These PRV/HSMI cases are detailed in a map (download online here) and include 14 Bakkafrost/The Scottish Salmon Company salmon farms; 10 Mowi; 6 Scottish Sea Farms; 4 Grieg Seafood, 2 Loch Duart and 1 Cooke Aquaculture; namely:

 

 

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Aird in Loch Sheildaig/Torridon)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Ardcastle Bay in Loch Fyne)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (East Tarbert Bay in the Sound of Gigha)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Lamlash Bay/St Molios, Isle of Arran)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Loch Odhairn/Gravir, Isle of Lewis)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Maragay Mor in Loch Uiskevagh, Uists)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Portree/Torvaig in Sound of Raasay, Isle of Skye)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Portree Outer in Sound of Raasay, Isle of Skye)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Plocrapol in East Loch Tarbert, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Reibinish in East Loch Tarbert, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Scadabay in Loch Grosebay, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Sgeir Dughall in Loch Torridon)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Taranaish in Loch Roag, Isle of Lewis)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Tarbert South in Loch Fyne)

Cooke Aquaculture (Lyrawa Bay in Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands)

Grieg Seafood (Cole Deep in Gon Firth, Shetland)

Grieg Seafood (Gob Na Hoe in Loch Dunvegan, Isle of Skye)

Grieg Seafood (Leinish Bay in Loch Dunvegan, Isle of Skye)

Grieg Seafood (North Voe in Linga Sound, Shetland)

Loch Duart (Loch Laxford, Sutherland)

Loch Duart (Lochmaddy, North Uist)

Mowi (Ardintoul in Loch Alsh)

Mowi (Cairidh in Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Eilean Grianain/Carradale in Kilbrannan Sound)

Mowi (Greshornish in Loch Snizort, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Kingairloch in Loch a Choire/Loch Linnhe)

Mowi (North Shore in Loch Erisort, Isle of Lewis)

Mowi (Sconser Quarry in Caol Mor, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Sron in Loch Alsh)

Mowi (Stulaigh in Loch Eynort, South Uist)

Mowi (Tabhaigh in Loch Erisort, Isle of Lewis)

Scottish Sea Farms (Bight of Foraness in Swinnister Voe, Shetland)

Scottish Sea Farms (Bloody Bay in the Sound of Mull, Isle of Mull)

Scottish Sea Farms (Loch Creran)

Scottish Sea Farms (Lismore North, Loch Linnhe)

Scottish Sea Farms (Nevis C in Loch Nevis)

Scottish Sea Farms (Shuna in Loch Linnhe)

  

 

Many more PRV/HSMI positive cases are reported by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate via 'Case Information' archived for 2013-2017 (some cases are identified in $camon $cotland's letter to Scottish Ministers). 

 

The letter also cites a Fish Health Inspectorate report in August 2020 for Mowi's Carradale salmon farm in Kilbrannan Sound which reported 12/12 samples of farmed salmon testing positive by Patogen for PRV-1 (the causative agent of HSMI) on 10 August 2020 (ten days before the escape of 48,834 farmed salmon).  There is no record of PRV/HSMI testing of wild salmon following the mass escape – including escapees caught in the River Leven, River Stinchar, River Doon and the River Girvan.  If FMS did any testing or is aware of any please pass on.    

 

 

In September 2019, Scottish Salmon Watch published photos of disease-ridden wild salmon – tested by Scottish Government inspectors for infectious diseases – and asked: “Are Farms Spreading Infectious Diseases, Pathogens & Viruses to Wild Fish?”

 

The letter cites a Fish Health Inspectorate report in June 2021 which detailed the testing of 90 juvenile wild salmon caught in the River Forss - all were negative for PRV.  A further 5 samples of wild salmon caught in the River Divie (River Findhorn) in May 2022 were tested by the Fish Health Inspectorate - all were negative for PRV.  Other 'Case Information' published by the Scottish Government also details testing of wild salmon for PRV.

 

Whilst ca. 100 wild salmon appear to have been tested by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate since June 2021 (you are welcome to trawl through all the 'Case Information' for yourself to get the exact number - online here), it seems that less than a dozen farmed salmon are tested each year by the Scottish Government.  Instead, private diagnostic companies (including Patogen based in Dunstaffnage and the Fish Vet Group in Inverness) and in-house company vets are carrying out PRV/HSMI testing.  The private testing is often referenced - but not included in full - via 'Case Information' published online by the Scottish Government.  More detailed information on the 399 PRV-positive tests detected by Marine Scotland Science in farmed salmon in 2018/2019 (as disclosed by the Scottish Government via FOI) was refused due to "commercial confidentiality".     

 

You can find out more context and information in our letter to Scottish Ministers online here.

 

Suffice to say that $camon $cotland have serious concerns at the lack of Scottish Government testing - including in freshwater farms, hatcheries, harvesting stations, processing plants and via imported ova. 

 

As I wrote to Scottish Ministers:

 

"The disease dangers of importing ova – whether they are sourced from Norway, Iceland or Ireland – represents all too real a risk for wild fish and it beggars belief that imported ova remains untested for PRV, ISA and other viruses, pathogens and diseases.  Government surveillance of PRV/HSMI inside sea cages, freshwater smolt farms, hatcheries and processing plants (including waste effluents and waste biological material) must close the net on the disease-ridden, virus-laden and lice-infested salmon farming sector in Scotland. The protection of commercial confidentiality and the business interests of foreign-owned companies (who control 99% of ‘Scottish’ salmon farming production) cannot be allowed to take precedence over Scotland’s iconic wild salmon.”

 

 

 

More background on this issue is published via:

 

Piscine Reovirus Ravages Scottish Salmon Farms - please follow the science in Canada & investigate the risks to wild fish in Scotland!

Going Down the Drain: Photos of Mowi's blood water treatment at "highly offensive & polluting" processing plant in Fort William

Unsatisfactory Biosecurity: Disease Control 'Improvement' & 'Further Investigation' Required at Processing Plants Operated by Mowi & Loch Duart

Heart & Pancreas Disease Ravage Scottish Salmon (according to new Marine Scotland Science report)

FOI Reveals Virus-Laden Salmon Slip Net & Into Scottish Waters

Virus-Laden Farmed Salmon - FOI reveals over half of samples test positive for Piscine Reovirus

 

 

 

A press release referencing $camon $cotland's concerns and letter to Scottish Ministers is also available online here (Embargoed until tomorrow). 

 

 

If you have any queries I am on 07771 541826.

 

 

Best fishes,

 

Don

 

 

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Nov 29, 2022 at 7:55 AM
Subject: PRV/HSMI cases on salmon farms in Scotland?
To: <eann.munro@gov.scot>

 

Dr Munro,

 

I was reading your April 2021 presentation at TriNation in which you report (based on data sourced from Salmon Scotland) that there were only two cases of HSMI in 2020 and zero in 2019: http://trination.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Munro_Scotland-Trinations-meeting.pdf

 

 

Why were the reports of HSMI (and PRV) - published via the Scottish Government's 'Case Information' and 'Mortality Event Reports' - ignored?  

 

The data may be difficult to extract (it's almost as if someone has deliberately hidden it) but it's all there to see - $camon $cotland counted 37 PRV/HSMI cases over the last five years (since November 2017) and many more detailed via the 2013-2017 FHI 'Case Information'. 

 

And the FHI 'Case Information' cites numerous HSMI/PRV cases of private commercial diagnostic testing by Patogen and the Fish Vet Group on behalf of salmon farming companies.  Surely, Marine Scotland Science has access to that database?

 

A FOI disclosure by Marine Scotland Science in June 2019 showed that PRV was detected in 52% (399 out of 774 samples tested) of farmed salmon. 

 

Anyway, here's a map of the 37 PRV/HSMI positives reported by the Scottish Government since November 2017:

 

 

 

The 37 PRV/HSMI positive cases since November 2017 include 14 sites operated by Bakkafrost/The Scottish Salmon Company; 10 Mowi; 6 Scottish Sea Farms; 4 Grieg Seafood, 2 Loch Duart and 1 Cooke Aquaculture site:

 

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Aird in Loch Sheildaig/Torridon)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Ardcastle Bay in Loch Fyne)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (East Tarbert Bay in the Sound of Gigha)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Lamlash Bay/St Molios, Isle of Arran)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Loch Odhairn/Gravir, Isle of Lewis)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Maragay Mor in Loch Uiskevagh, Uists)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Portree/Torvaig in Sound of Raasay, Isle of Skye)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Portree Outer in Sound of Raasay, Isle of Skye)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Plocrapol in East Loch Tarbert, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Reibinish in East Loch Tarbert, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Scadabay in Loch Grosebay, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Sgeir Dughall in Loch Torridon)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Taranaish in Loch Roag, Isle of Lewis)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Tarbert South in Loch Fyne)

Cooke Aquaculture (Lyrawa Bay in Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands)

Grieg Seafood (Cole Deep in Gon Firth, Shetland)

Grieg Seafood (Gob Na Hoe in Loch Dunvegan, Isle of Skye)

Grieg Seafood (Leinish Bay in Loch Dunvegan, Isle of Skye)

Grieg Seafood (North Voe in Linga Sound, Shetland)

Loch Duart (Loch Laxford, Sutherland)

Loch Duart (Lochmaddy, North Uist)

Mowi (Ardintoul in Loch Alsh)

Mowi (Cairidh in Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Eilean Grianain/Carradale in Kilbrannan Sound)

Mowi (Greshornish in Loch Snizort, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Kingairloch in Loch a Choire/Loch Linnhe)

Mowi (North Shore in Loch Erisort, Isle of Lewis)

Mowi (Sconser Quarry in Caol Mor, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Sron in Loch Alsh)

Mowi (Stulaigh in Loch Eynort, South Uist)

Mowi (Tabhaigh in Loch Erisort, Isle of Lewis)

Scottish Sea Farms (Bight of Foraness in Swinnister Voe, Shetland)

Scottish Sea Farms (Bloody Bay in the Sound of Mull, Isle of Mull)

Scottish Sea Farms (Loch Creran)

Scottish Sea Farms (Lismore North, Loch Linnhe)

Scottish Sea Farms (Nevis C in Loch Nevis)

Scottish Sea Farms (Shuna in Loch Linnhe)

 

 

 

Do you have a similar map and list?  

 

 

More background is available via: Letter to Scottish Ministers on PRV/HSMI prevalence in salmon farms, hatcheries & processing plants in Scotland

 

 

Best fishes,

 

Don Staniford

 

Director, $camon $cotland

 

 

 

 

Does Eann Munro @marinescotland #MSS have an update on the prevalance of PRV/HSMI on Scottish salmon farms? His 2021 paper - using data @ScotlandSalmon - reported only 2 cases https://t.co/uLAgKsN6tf
But @scotgov data shows 37 PRV/HSMI reports since 2017! https://t.co/TZgmqNNf9U https://t.co/sE1QK1XlEj pic.twitter.com/CFbhAZd1c8

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 29, 2022

Piscine Reovirus Ravages Scottish Salmon Farms - please follow the science in Canada & investigate the risks to wild fish in Scotland!

Safe Salmon in Canada posted on Facebook (23 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

Alexandra Morton reported (22 November 2022): "The red dots are salmon farms shedding the virus PRV. We know this because we collected bits of rotting farm salmon, scales and feces wafting out of these farms. We report that this Norwegian virus appears to originate from the farm hatcheries, it is mutating here in BC and some how the same variant is in Chinook farms in Tla-o-qui-aht and Columbia River hatchery. Here is a link to the paper. https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10.1139/cjfas-2022-0019"

 

 

 

 

Here's the abstract of the scientific paper published on 18 November 2022:

 

 

The scientific paper includes:

 

 

 

 

The Globe & Mail reported (21 November 2022):

 

Canadian Government accused of suppressing research on fish-farm virus in B.C. despite warnings it could harm wild salmon @globeandmail @alex4salmon @gidmord @1Bob_Chamberlin @wildfirstcanada @DFO_Pacific @BCSalmonFarmers @UBCIC @WatershedWatch_ https://t.co/W8cT8jbwyW

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 21, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

The spread of Piscine Reovirus and Heart & Skeletal Muscle Inflammation in Scotland - and the lack of action by the Scottish Government and Norwegian-owned companies (who control ca. 80% of 'Scottish' salmon farming) - raises alarm bells especially in the context of this new scientific research from Canada.   Scottish Salmon Watch reported back in June 2019:

 

 

 

 

In April 2019, Scottish Salmon Watch asked Scottish Ministers to test salmon farms, hatcheries and processing plants for PRV and Heart & Skeletal Muscle Inflammation:

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch's letter to Scottish Ministers in April 2019 cited numerous case reports of PRV detected in farmed salmon at sites across Scotland:

 

 

 

Piscine Reovirus is already here infecting Scottish farmed salmon - officially reported by @marinescotland via Fish Health Inspectorate case information https://t.co/DexqRA5RlP https://t.co/pfmyDTZYw2 @MHScotland pic.twitter.com/CHXKXZufj3

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 19, 2018

 

 

 

 

The cases of PRV and HSMI reported across Scotland continue unabated as mass mortalities and infectious diseases ravage salmon farms at an unprecedented scale.   $camon $cotland reported last month (29 October 2022):

 

Gotcha: Secret filming inside @scotseafarms in Loch Creran in July triggered an inspection @scotgov revealing welfare & disease problems with Piscine Reovirus, Heart & Skeletal Muscle Inflammation, exothalmia & "hanging" salmon @rspcaassured @ScotlandSalmon @marksandspencer pic.twitter.com/VFWuJqmRF1

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 29, 2022

 

 

 

Here's the Fish Health Inspectorate's report detailing an inspection on 18 July 2022 (triggered by a welfare complaint by $camon $cotland who filmed welfare abuse inside the salmon farm operated by Norwegian giant Norskott Havbruk/Scottish Sea Farms on 8 July 2022) - including "skin lesions/boils", "secondary bacterial infection", Furunculosis, Piscine Reovirus, Heart & Skeletal Muscle Inflammation, "increased mortality", fish "belly up", "moribund" and "hanging" with 72,037 dead salmon in a nine-week period:

 

 

 

 

 

The Scottish Government Fish Health Inspectorate's report includes photographic evidence of disease and welfare problems including exothalmia, haemorrhaging and frayed gills:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In July 2022, $camon $cotland covertly filmed inside four salmon farms operated by Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) - including inside Loch Creran - leading to a welfare complaint filed with the SSPCA, RSPCA Assured, Marine Scotland, Police Scotland and the Animal and Plant Health Agency:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The same Fish Health Inspectorate report for July 2022 identified PRV at The Scottish Salmon Company's Reibinish salmon farm (The Scottish Salmon Company was renamed Bakkafrost in June 2022) and included photos of disease-ridden Scottish salmon taken by Scottish Government inspectors:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piscine Reovirus (PRV) is associated with the disease Heart & Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI) and, despite a woeful lack of Scottish Government testing, appears to be spreading like the Black Death plague across salmon farms in Scotland.  A Fish Health Inspectorate report for August 2022 identified HSMI and PRV in Loch Duart's RSPCA Assured salmon farm in Loch Laxford:

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for September 2022 reported HSMI at Mowi's ASC-certified and RSPCA Assured salmon farm at Stulaigh:

 

 

 

 

In 2018, Mowi along with lawyers representing Scottish Sea Farms and The Scottish Salmon Company desperately tried to block publication of gruesome photos of disease-ridden salmon - including from Mowi's Stulaigh salmon farm - arguing that disclosure would stop people buying 'healthy' Scottish salmon!

 

 

Mowi: "the risk of people turning away from a healthy food such as salmon as a reaction to irresponsible use of photos for the sole purpose of creating fear in the consumer, is a risk to public health" https://t.co/u9Fk2kOkxz @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @FergusEwingMSP pic.twitter.com/M3AyD3jMTm

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 24, 2019

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for August 2022 detailed PRV at the East Tarbert Bay salmon farm operated by The Scottish Salmon Company/Bakkafrost off the Isle of Gigha:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fish Health Inspectorate report for August 2022 included photos detailing disease and welfare problems:

 

 

 

 

 

Testing by Scottish Government inspectors in August 2022 found five out of five farmed salmon tested positive for PRV:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's video footage published in October 2021 by Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots and STV News showcasing mass mortalities and disease at the East Tarbert Bay salmon farm:

 

Thousands of rotting salmon ‘stink out’ village after mass death at farm.https://t.co/hOoOmXr0n7

— STV News (@STVNews) October 20, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for February 2022 detailed HSMI at Mowi's RSPCA Assured salmon farm in Loch Greshornish off the Isle of Skye:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HSMI was also cited in January 2022 via another Fish Health Inspectorate report for Mowi's RSPCA Assured salmon farm in Loch Greshornish off the Isle of Skye:

 

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for December 2021 identified PRV at The Scottish Salmon Company's Taranaish salmon farm in Loch Roag off the Isle of Lewis:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fish Health Inspectorate report for December 2021 detailed disease and welfare problems - and included photos taken by Scottish Government inspectors:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for November 2021 detailed HSMI and PRV at Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) at Bloody Bay off the Isle of Mull - sourced with smolts from Barcaldine and ova (eggs) from Stofnfiskur (Benchmark) in Iceland:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Seattle Times reported in December 2018 how PRV had been imported to Washington state in the United States by Cooke Aquaculture via infected eggs from Stofnfiskur (rebranded as Benchmark Iceland in 2021):

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch's letter to Scottish Ministers in April 2019 cited the Seattle Times article and an article published by Salmon Business in December 2018 which referred to an "optional service of screening against PRV that our customers may choose as an extra risk measure to avoid vertical transmission":

 

 

 

The vertical transmission of PRV, Infectious Salmon Anaemia and other deadly diseases via infected ova imported from Iceland, Norway and Ireland is a risk repeatedly raised by Scottish Salmon Watch (renamed $camon $cotland in February 2022):

 

Now that pathogenic Infectious Salmon Anaemia is suspected in Iceland will Scotland close the border to ova imports to stop the risk of disease transfer? @MairiGougeon @marinescotland @ScotlandSalmon @WeAreBenchmark @fms_scotland @SalmonTroutCons https://t.co/3d7SGEVAb5 https://t.co/HMxIA5pCD8

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 26, 2021

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch warned in a press release published in August 2020:

 

 

#COVID19 has taught us that closing borders is vital in stemming the spread of infectious diseases, viruses & pathogens https://t.co/MAShiQlkpw Salmon farms using imported eggs should be quarantined until they can prove they're free of deadly viruses! @GreenerScotland #ISA #PRV pic.twitter.com/2pazJ07x9U

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 26, 2020

 

 

 

 

$camon $cotland wrote to Scottish Ministers in February 2022 calling for a ban on imported ova due to the risks of importing infectious diseases and viruses such as ISA and PRV: 

 

Please Close the Border to Imports of Salmon Ova, Parr & Smolts! https://t.co/hZFEGSm0dX
The health & genetic integrity of ‘Scottish’ salmon is being threatened by imports flooding into Scotland. Failure @scotgov to screen imports is the antithesis of the precautionary principle pic.twitter.com/b7wg85KJ40

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 9, 2022

 

 

In a letter to Scottish Ministers sent today (28 November 2022), $camon $cotland called on the Scottish Government to come clean on the extent of PRV/HSMI in Scottish salmon farms (including hatcheries) and processing plants: 

 

 

 

 

The letter showcases an analysis of Scottish Government 'Case Information' and 'Mortality Event Reports' published by the Fish Health Inspectorate which details PRV/HSMI at 37 salmon farms across Scotland since November 2017 (with many more cases reported since data became publicly available in 2013):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The letter to Scottish Ministers concludes:

 

 

 

 

Read the letter to Scottish Ministers online here

 

 

 

Read more via a press release (29 November 2022) online here

 

 

 

 

The disease risks of importing ova were highlighted just last week:

 

Salmon egg supplier Aquagen confirms ISA at Norwegian site @IntraFish https://t.co/PrjffDAIaZ
How many imported and domestically-grown salmon eggs in Scotland are infected with ISA? @scotgov @marinescotland @scotseafarms @MowiScotlandLtd @WeAreBenchmark @MairiGougeon

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 24, 2022

 

 

 

The Ferret reported in February 2019: 

 

 

You mean the statement that: "As a matter of precaution there should be a complete ban on ova imports, especially from companies like AquaGen with a dubious history of Infectious Salmon Anaemia"? https://t.co/JIBP89epEb pic.twitter.com/KSmJM3EvAZ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 14, 2019

 

 

 

The Ferret reported in February 2020:

 

 

Norwegian Salmon Egg Exports Banned Due to Disease Risks https://t.co/rEeHFKqewt @EFTAsecretariat @InfoMattilsynet @marinescotland @fiskeridir @NFdep @WeAreBenchmark @scotseafarms @MowiScotlandLtd @HGSalmonUK @FergusEwingMSP @DefraGovUK @SSPOsays #ISA #Norway #ScottishScamon pic.twitter.com/XmW4SaPYG2

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 24, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

Unsatisfactory Biosecurity: Disease Control 'Improvement' & 'Further Investigation' Required at Processing Plants Operated by Mowi & Loch Duart

Letter to Scottish Ministers: Please Close the Border to Imports of Salmon Ova, Parr & Smolts!

Iceland Still Importing Ova to 'Scottish' Salmon Farms Despite Disease Risks

Game Ova for Imports & Exports: Close the Borders to Stop the Spread of Diseases & Genetic Pollution!

Infectious Salmon Anaemia Reported at Landcatch’s Ormsary Hatchery in November – was ISA imported via infected salmon eggs (ova) from Iceland?

Stop the Scottish Salmondemic - please avoid disease-ridden farmed salmon like the proverbial plague!

ISA hits Scottish Sea Farms owner SalMar in Norway - how many hidden cases are lurking on salmon farms in Scotland?

Letter to Scottish Ministers calling for a ban on ova imports from Iceland

FOI Reveals Virus-Laden Salmon Slip Net & Into Scottish Waters

Norwegian Salmon Egg Exports Banned Due to Disease Risks

Game Ova for Scottish Salmon - Deadly disease delays egg imports from AquaGen in Norway

Deadly virus outbreak prompted fears over import of fish farm eggs to Scotland

Letter to Scottish Ministers: "Bio-security Protocols & Safety Precautions re. Ova Imports"

Salmondemic Plagues Scotland

Virus-Laden Farmed Salmon - FOI reveals over half of samples test positive for Piscine Reovirus

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norwegian Salmon Egg Exports Banned Due to Disease Risks https://t.co/rEeHFKqewt @EFTAsecretariat @InfoMattilsynet @marinescotland @fiskeridir @NFdep @WeAreBenchmark @scotseafarms @MowiScotlandLtd @HGSalmonUK @FergusEwingMSP @DefraGovUK @SSPOsays #ISA #Norway #ScottishScamon pic.twitter.com/XmW4SaPYG2

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 24, 2020

Going Down the Drain: Photos of Mowi's blood water treatment at "highly offensive & polluting" processing plant in Fort William

 

 

Yet more public money is going down the drain to prop up the disease-ridden salmon farming industry. 

 

Bla bla bla - more public money down the drain! £2m grant for Mowi’s Blar Mhor processing centre @scotgov @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/1HmtNW4scy via @fishfarmermag

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 25, 2022

 

 

 

A Freedom of Information disclosure by the Scottish Government earlier this month (2 November 2022) fleshes out more nauseating details on how Mowi's processing plant in Fort William tackles the problem of waste disposal - with effluent discharge going down the drain to the local waste water treatment works in Caol with screened waste and sludge transported away to Energen Biogas in Glasgow and viscera transported to Pelagia in Shetland for further processing/ensiling:

 

 

 

 

 

The Scottish Government disclosed the following site photos, schematic and checklist:

 

 

 

 

Photos inside Mowi's "highly offensive & polluting" @ScottishEPA processing plant in Fort William Disinfected wastewater goes down the drain into public sewer to Caol. Viscera goes to Pelagia in Shetland @TavishScott & solid waste to Energen Biogas in Glasgow @Ferguson_TPT #Jobs pic.twitter.com/i7lBDlbSHS

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 5, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$camon Scotland reported last month (5 October 2022):

 

Unsatisfactory Biosecurity: Disease Control 'Improvement' & 'Further Investigation' Required at Processing Plants https://t.co/BRT7jIXPOi @MowiScotlandLtd @LochDuartSalmon
Is @ScotGovNetZero finally closing the net on infectious diseases, pathogens & viruses? @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/SdjnvJqpGt

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 5, 2022

 

 

 

The Fish Health Inspectorate sent Mowi a letter in June 2022 detailing "further investigation and improvement" to be implemented in order for the Blar Mhor processing plant in Fort William to be considered "satisfactory" (i.e. current biosecurity systems were unsatisfactory to deal with disease risks): 

 

 

Unsatisfactory Mowi: "The following areas require further investigation and improvement....biosecurity of vehicles enterering the facility including disinfection should be implemented" @scotgov @marinescotland @MowiScotlandLtd @APHAgovuk @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/BRT7jIXPOi pic.twitter.com/4c2866NKol

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 7, 2022

 

 

 

Additional 'Case Information' reported by the Fish Health Inspectorate relating to an inspection of  Mowi's Blar Mhor processing plant in May 2022 included:

 

 

 

Mowi's Blar Mhor processing plant has an appalling track record with Marine Harvest (renamed Mowi in 2019) fined £4,000 in 2005 for polluting the River Lochy with waste effluents - including fish viscera, blood and congealed fat deposits, scum and grease - following an investigation by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.   

 

 

 

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency reported in 2005:

 

“This was a serious incident. The discharge was of a highly offensive and polluting nature. Sewage fungus present in the River can smother the bed of a watercourse, and can damage invertebrates and insect life. Secondary problems associated with smell from decaying matter were also reported to SEPA.  The outfall to the River Lochy is immediately adjacent to a number of houses and Lochyside Primary School"

 

 

 

Fish Update reported in Juy 2005:

 

 

ENDS reported in July 2005:

 

 

 

The Sunday Herald reported in May 2006:

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Piscine Reovirus Ravages Scottish Salmon Farms - please follow the science in Canada & investigate the risks to wild fish in Scotland!

Unsatisfactory Biosecurity: Disease Control 'Improvement' & 'Further Investigation' Required at Processing Plants Operated by Mowi & Loch Duart

BBC News: "Scottish salmon farming petition signed by 30,500"

Shetland salmon packing factory leaks 'blood water' into sea

BBC Radio Shetland on Cooke's "untreated blood water" in Scotland

Press Release: "Cooke's Untreated Blood Water is "Gross" says SEPA - "Poor" processing plant pollutes Mid Yell Voe in Shetland"

Letter to SSPO re violation of Code of Practice by Cooke Aquaculture in Mid Yell Voe 25 Jan 2018

Letter to the Cabinet Secretary re. Cooke's violations of the Code of Practice to avoid ISA (26 January 2018)

Environmental Event report re. "raw effluent" and overflowing "blood water" at Cooke's Mid Yell processing plant - January 2017

Photo: Overflowing blood water and "raw effluent" from Cooke's processing plant into Mid Yell Voe

"Poor" SEPA Assessment for "gross" breach at Cooke's Mid Yell processing plant - August 2017

SEPA action points to Cooke "to prevent the overflow discharging untreated effluent directly to Mid Yell Voe" - August 2017

 

 

 

Norway-based salmon giant @MowiScotlandLtd has launched pre-packed consumer products at UK retail giant @asda - the Mowi range is also available @sainsburys @Tesco @Ocado & @AmazonFresh meaning it is now available in over 40% of the UK retail landscape https://t.co/jKfSe98Coy pic.twitter.com/nZVh0pHxPJ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

P&J: "Stink raised over release of toxic chemicals from sunken fish farm barge off Skye"

 

Press & Journal: "A sunken fish farm feed barge off the coast of Skye that gave off a noxious stink in August was emitting a potentially explosive mix of toxic chemicals, an activist has found" @pressjournal https://t.co/iaIkujfAV6 @briggsmarine @HighlandCouncil @Folketrygdfond

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 22, 2022

 

 

 

The Press & Journal reported (22 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the newspaper version as published on 23 November 2022:

 

 

"Sunk boat stink was toxic" reports today's @pressjournal @Erikkaburgh https://t.co/2wwhP9EGM0
Why weren't the public warned about "explosion" risk? @_KateForbes @fire_scot @PoliceScotland @NHSScotland @MCA_media @ScotlandSalmon @GaelForceGroup @marinescotland @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/qAv9qv9IO2

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 23, 2022

 

 

Last week (18 November 2022), $camon $cotland wrote to Scottish Ministers:

 

 

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb! @scotgov @_KateForbes @MairiMcAllan @scotgp @MairiGougeon @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/3bpKF35ry0 pic.twitter.com/1GMwl4Z8lH

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

Gael Force's Sinking Feeling: barges scuppered by bad weather or is the 'greed of feed' to blame?

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland - 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

Toxic Gasses Spew From The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost Scotland) Off Portree

 

 

 

Mooring a 400 tonne concrete barge at a salmon farm during Winter storms - then adding 350 tonnes of feed on board along with mort bins & machinery - is not an 'accident'. It's corporate negligence! https://t.co/ozYMwXghu6 @MCA_media @GaelForceGroup @ScotlandSalmon @ScottishEPA https://t.co/5hBCjKrodt pic.twitter.com/6AMjofTfll

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 21, 2022

 

 

 

 

Nothing to read in West Highland Free Press on the "explosive" gases which leaked from a salmon farm off Portree - reported @timesscotland @pressjournal @radio_skye @BBCHighlands @STVNews @IntraFish @salmonfarming1 but not @WHFP1 @paul_wood_whfp @KeithMacKenzie1 @_Adam_Gordon pic.twitter.com/eIyh0OlB6P

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 25, 2022

 

Gael Force's Sinking Feeling: barges scuppered by bad weather or is the 'greed of feed' to blame?

 

Mooring a 400 tonne concrete barge at a salmon farm during Winter storms - then adding 350 tonnes of feed on board along with mort bins & machinery - is not an 'accident'. It's corporate negligence! https://t.co/ozYMwXghu6 @MCA_media @GaelForceGroup @ScotlandSalmon @ScottishEPA https://t.co/5hBCjKrodt pic.twitter.com/6AMjofTfll

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 21, 2022

 

 

The operation of feed barges - storage units moored at salmon farms which are used to deliver pellets of food to farmed salmon - raises serious public safety and environmental issues.   In the wake of a spate of sinkings across Scotland (and Iceland), questions must now be asked of both barge manufacturers such as Gael Force and salmon farm operators such as Bakkafrost, Mowi and Grieg Seafood (Scottish Sea Farms).  

 

I'm hearing rumours that the SeaMate barge which sank off Portree during Storm Arwen in Nov 2021 was so top-heavy & the feed so unevenly distributed that it was a disaster waiting to happen. Is this true? @GaelForceGroup @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond @HighlandCouncil @Aon_UK https://t.co/FkW0GnE84E pic.twitter.com/uh6BpIegDA

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 22, 2022

 

 

 

Here's video footage overlooking two salmon farms operated by Bakkafrost (formerly known as The Scottish Salmon Company) off Portree on the Isle of Skye shot on a calm Summer day in September 2020 - notice the 400 tonne feed barge listing under the weight of the feed (ca. 350 tonnes were on board when it sank during Storm Arwen in November 2021), chemical containers, equipment, machinery and mort bins weighing down the floating structure:

 

 

 

The accident that’s been swept under the carpet. Answers please for Scotlands next generation. Why did it sink? Waiting?@NicolaSturgeon @Ianblackford_MP @alexmacinnessnp @BBCPanorama @FerretScot @PrivateEyeNews @BBCScotlandNews @WHFP1 @PressandJournal @NFUtweets @BankofScotBiz https://t.co/HCP5PYf0vR

— Jon Johnson (@Jonnynogaps) November 20, 2022

 

And here's a close-up of the overloaded barge shot from a boat in September 2020 - imagine this in the heavy winds and swells of Storm Arwen (the storm raging in November 2021 when the Gael Force barge sank to the bottom of Loch Portree/Sound of Raasay):

 

 

 

Sold as a state of the art barge and in a sheltered location compared with others…The Portree barge sank. Is there a design fault? Was it poorly maintained? Or was it not fit for purpose? I think we need some statement as to the root cause with the numbers of these out there. pic.twitter.com/VaMNrD34xm

— Jon Johnson (@Jonnynogaps) November 20, 2022

 

 

 

The feed barge looks like one of those overloaded tankers carrying hundreds of containers which you read about on the news sinking in bad weather:

 

 

 

 

Or one of those overloaded boats carrying too many people which inevitably keel over and sink:

 

 

 

 

With all the feed (ca. 350 tonnes according to FOI documents disclosed by the Scottish Government) and mort bins on board at the time of the barge sinking off Portree in November 2021, it was an 'accident' just waiting for bad Winter weather to happen (i.e. it was entirely foreseable and avoidable - anyone who has lived in Scotland knows that severe gales happen every year!).

 

 

 

 

This photo of a feed barge at Mowi's MacLean's Nose salmon farm in Loch Sunart illustrates the precarious nature of salmon farming:

 

Mowi feed barge at McLean’s Nose on Loch Sunart listing badly.

“Safety is core to what we do”

Their barges are sinking as fast as their reputation in Scotland. https://t.co/tGyLUM9MIo pic.twitter.com/bYY85UEVSs

— Salmon Scotland (@SalmonScotland) September 2, 2019

 

 

 

The Press & Journal reported in January 2019 on the sinking of a feed barge at a Mowi salmon farm off South Uist:

 

 

 

Salmon Business reported in January 2019:

 

 

 

Another feed barge sank off Uig in Loch Snizort on the Isle of Skye in 2017 - costing Grieg Seafood an estimated NOK 10 million (£921,000):

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported in March 2022 that the Gael Force feed barge was not salvaged until late 2021:

 

 

 

Here's a photo of the salvage operation by Ocean Kinetics:

 

 

 

More details on the salvage operation are contained in a report published by Marine Scotland:

 

 

 

In Iceland, the salvage of feed barge from under a salmon farm was featured on the news in August 2022 - including video footage of the salvage operation:

 

 

 

Here's Icelandic News on the feed barge sinking during storms in January 2021:

 

 

 

The Scottish Salmon Company (since renamed Bakkafrost) published a video via Friday Film Productions in 2018 showing off the new Gael Force feed barge off Portree (in the photo below - sourced from the video - you can see how close the town of Portree is to the salmon farm):

 

 

 

 

 

A video tour of a Gael Force SeaMate 400 tonne concrete feed barge destined for Mowi - understood to be similar to the one bought by Bakkafrost for their Portree salmon farm - is available online here:

 

 

 

 

 

The Scottish Salmon Company (renamed Bakkafrost Scotland in June 2022) were keen to trumpet the delivery in 2018 and launch of their 'sophisticated' 400 tonne SeaMate Gael Force feed barge in 2019: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stewart Graham, founder and managing director of Gael Force Group, told Fish Farming Expert in March 2019:

 

“The design and build of one of our most advanced feed barges along with an eight-line SeaFeed feeding system for SSC is yet another example of our commitment to innovate in this sector.

“The build epitomised the type of collaborative approach we like to take with our customers, and by doing this we ensured we addressed all SSC’s needs from the outset which will enable them to safely and sustainably grow their fish.”

 

 

 

Stewart Graham, managing director at Gael Force Group, said in January 2018:

 

“This new barge will be one of the most sophisticated of its kind in Scotland"

 

 

 

Here's photos of the 'sophisticated' Gael Force SeaMate feed barge sunk on the bottom of Loch Portree in December 2021 (obtained via FOI from the Scottish Government) - leaking the ca. 350 tonnes of feed on board which later during 2022 built up "explosive" levels of toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gases:

 

 

 

 

The barge building by Gael Force in Inverness apparently created 20 new jobs:

 

 

 

 

A similar SeaMate 350 tonne feed barge was delivered in 2020 to Organic Sea Harvest by Gael Force (who reported building "close to 100 feed barges" - it's not clear how many have sank):

 

 

 

 

Another 200 tonne SeaMate feed barge was delivered by Gael Force to Cooke Aquaculture in April 2022:

 

 

 

 

And Gael Force has built even bigger live-aboard SeaFarmBase 400 tonne concrete barges for Mowi in Eastern Canada:

 

 

 

 

 

 

How many of the 100 barges made by @GaelForceGroup have sunk? https://t.co/ozYMwXghu6
Is it corporate negligence to moor a 400 T concrete barge at a fish farm during Winter storms & add another 400 T in feed & equipment? @Folketrygdfond @ScotlandSalmon @Aon_UK @SM_MarineIns pic.twitter.com/PSwrWB9ctI

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 21, 2022

 

 

 

The operation of feed barges at salmon farms can sometimes go tragically wrong - as was the case at Mowi's Ardintoul salmon farm in February 2020 when Mowi worker Clive Hendry was crushed to death between a feed barge and a Mowi workboat:

 

Mowi has blood on its hands over the horrific death of Clive Hendry - how much will Mowi be fined for negligence? @ScotlandMowi @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/55xO0wiiy3 @maibgovuk @H_S_E @GreenerScotland @WHFP1 @pressjournal @IntraFishNorge @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP #Mowi pic.twitter.com/nfpEboInpn

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) May 26, 2021

 

 

 

The Daily Mirror reported (26 May 2021):

 

 

 

STV News reported in May 2021:

 

Safety recommendations for salmon farming giant after death.https://t.co/DY73Tk0f0p

— STV News (@STVNews) May 26, 2021

 

 

 

Read the Marine Accident Investigation Branch's damning report published in May 2021:

 

 

 

Clive Hendry's widow is taking legal action against Mowi for corporate negligence and is championing the vital public issue of safety at work: 

 

"It haunts me that Clive could have been saved if marine laws were tightened so that big companies put their staff’s lives before profit" says Catriona Lockhart "I am here today to fight like hell for the living" @ScottishHazards @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/OXPPzlDOv2 pic.twitter.com/qTALvcAhlb

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 29, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

The West Highland Free Press reported (29 April 2022):

 

 

 

The Times reported in November 2021:

 

 

 

The Times on @MowiScotlandLtd being sued by the widow of worker Clive Hendry who was killed at a salmon farm in Loch Alsh (Mowi were found negligent by a damning @maibgovuk report) @thetimes https://t.co/iNemRUqcBy @ScottishHazards @MCA_media @H_S_E @_KateForbes @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/WYRzhLCT1b

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 23, 2021

 

 

The 'greed of feed' by Mowi, Bakkafrost and other salmon farming giants demands greater scrutiny. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported earlier this month (8 November 2022):

 

"Explosive" FOI disclosure @ScottishEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Co (Bakkafrost) off Skye! https://t.co/ZuJ147DRec
Hydrogen Sulphide detected at 55,000 ppm "which puts the gas into explosive range" @ScotlandSalmon @GaelForceGroup @_KateForbes @MairiMcAllan pic.twitter.com/oBbuHr430j

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 8, 2022

 

 

 

Last week (18 November 2022), $camon $cotland wrote to Scottish Ministers:

 

 

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb! @scotgov @_KateForbes @MairiMcAllan @scotgp @MairiGougeon @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/3bpKF35ry0 pic.twitter.com/1GMwl4Z8lH

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

 

 

The Times reported (17 November 2022):

 

Today's Times newspaper: "Secret plans were drawn up for residents to be evacuated from one of Scotland’s most popular tourist destinations amid fears that a sunken barge could explode and spew toxic gases towards the shore, it has emerged" @timesscotland https://t.co/kKcietvNSf

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

$camon $cotland first broke the news in August 2022 following a tip-off from a whistleblower in Portree:

 

 

Breaking News: potentially lethal toxic gasses leaking from a sunken feed barge at Bakkafrost salmon farm off Portree suspend salvage operation with 24 hour guard & exclusion zone @briggsmarine
Why has the public not been informed of the risks? @ScottishEPA @MairiMcAllan @H_S_E pic.twitter.com/avM09qC0Yp

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 30, 2022

 

 

Tip-off re. Bakkafrost off Portree: "Their feed barge sank end of last year...a few weeks ago divers [trying to raise it]...stopped as there was found to be very high levels of toxic gasses....this has lead to an exclusion zone....there is a 24hr guard"
True? @ScottishEPA pic.twitter.com/sus4ZLFyqh

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 29, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland - 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

Toxic Gasses Spew From The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost Scotland) Off Portree

 

 

Why was no public warning issued to tourists, kayakers, swimmers, walkers, cruise ships, yachts, divers & residents endangered by the 'Toxic Threat Zone' off Portree? https://t.co/t1ux69sVwH @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @PortreeHigh @fire_scot @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/egBccWciAV

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

Why was the public not warned about "explosive" toxic gases leaking off Skye? Surely tourists in Portree, walkers along the coastal path near the salmon farm, kayakers, swimmers & divers should have been warned? @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @scotgov @HighlandCouncil @fire_scot https://t.co/DTfPoW0OTT pic.twitter.com/t2lu9ALauz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

Like all accidents, we get to hear what went wrong & who pays for the mess? Is there tax payers money being spent to cover the cracks? Regulatory bodies working on this for free? Money to support overseas companies polluting? Money to hide ineptitude,poor practice, poor training? pic.twitter.com/NuIk2oO4t5

— Jon Johnson (@Jonnynogaps) November 21, 2022

 

 

 

Did the last person to leave the Portree feed barge forget to close the hatch? @GaelForceGroup @Folketrygdfond @ScotlandSalmon @Aon_UK
Remember when the Herald of Free Enterprise sank after the bosun forgot to close the bow doors? @Ianblackford_MP @_KateForbes @Jamie_m_young https://t.co/I1qijJfsyi pic.twitter.com/oZk7aCc6ct

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 22, 2022

 

Wester Ross Scamon - Photos Expose RSPCA Assured's 'Ethical' & 'Sustainable' Salmon!

 

Beware of Wester Ross's "Ethical" & "Sustainable" salmon scam - branded as 'welfare-friendly' @rspcaassured but owned by Norwegian giant @MowiScotlandLtd
Photos taken @scotgov showing Salmon Gill Poxvirus, epitheliocystis, Amoebic Gill Disease & 50,000 morts @WesterRossSalmo pic.twitter.com/SvthqMOYiG

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 19, 2022

 

 

Here's a report from the Fish Health Inspectorate relating to an inspection of Wester Ross's Ardmair salmon farm in August 2022 - published by the Scottish Government on 15 November 2022 - detailing Amoebic Gill Disease, Salmon  Gill Poxvirus, Vibrio, vascular disturbance, epitheliocystis (likely Brachiomonas sp.), multifocal hepatic necrosis, peritonitis (potentially associated with vaccine administration), Paranucleospora theridion, Neoparamoeba perurans, anaemic hearts, anorexic bodies and over 50,000 mortalities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quiz Question: Which @rspcaassured 'boutique' salmon farm in Wester Ross are these absolute beauties sourced from? https://t.co/2sBrJXdrlL
With added Epitheliocystis, Salmon gill poxvirus, hepatic necrosis, Paranucleospora theridion & Neoparamoeba perurans (amoebic gill disease) pic.twitter.com/IPj5jnsGrP

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

 

In September 2022, a report published by $camon $cotland exposed the mortality problems at Wester Ross Salmon (bought by Norwegian giant Mowi in July 2022):

 

 

Wester Ross claim to grow salmon "second to none" with "unparalleled stewardship" https://t.co/ML7Rwd9WEk
Judged by their high mortality rates @WesterRossSalmo they are certainly up there with the worst of the worst! @ScotlandSalmon @MowiScotlandLtd @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/ETesWH0Spy

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 27, 2022

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch filmed a cess-pits of morts at Wester Ross in 2018:

 

 

 

 

And empty chemical containers (like beer cans strewn all over the ground after a big night out):

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Exclusive: New Photos Expose Gruesome Not 'Responsible' Mowi Salmon!

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

'Salmon Shame': An eye-opening video that exposes the horrors of open-net salmon farming in Scotland!

Photos Expose Ongoing Welfare Abuse at RSPCA Assured Salmon Farms!

Seaspiracy 2: Mowi's Disease & Welfare Nightmare in Loch Linnhe!

Cooke's Organic Scamon Exposed by Gruesome Photos from Orkney - RSPCA Assured Ouseness Oozes Welfare Abuse!

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

Scottish Salmon Exposed - Photos highlight the disease & welfare nightmare at The Scottish Salmon Company!

Photos of Welfare Abuse at The Scottish Salmon Company in Loch Carron (West Strome salmon farm)

The Camera Never Lies About Scottish Salmon!

RSPCA Assured Mowi Plagued by Mass Mortalities & Infectious Diseases on Skye

Be Sure to Boycott RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon - Shocking New Photos Published of Mowi's North Shore Feedlot in Loch Erisort!

Photo Dossier of Diseased, Deformed & Abused Scottish Salmon

Maaey day for the Scottish Salmon Company

Ground-truthing disease-ridden Scottish salmon

Mowi's Welfare Nightmare on Rum - "blind", "physical damage", "anorexic" & over 40,000 dead fish!

EXPOSED: Photo Disclosures Opens Floodgates to More Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon

Scottish Government rejects industry pleas on sick salmon photos

Mmmm Blind Scottish Salmon with Boils, Anyone?

Meet Pop-Eye the Scottish Salmon - Tortured by an Optilicer!

Cardiac Disease Arrests Mowi in Kingairloch

Salmon firms bid to block diseased photos

REVEALED: Legal Threats to Prevent Publication of Damning Photographs

FOI Dossier: Photographs of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon - Scottish Government FOI disclosure despite legal threats from Scottish Sea Farms & The Scottish Salmon Company

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (August 2018)

FOI Disclosure 18-02235: Photos of Scottish Sea Farms

FOI Disclosure 18-01782: Photos of The Scottish Salmon Company and others

Horror photos of farmed salmon spark legal threat

EXPOSED: Gruesome Photos of Deformed & Diseased Scottish Salmon

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (June 2018)

 

 

 

Edie Bowles @Animallawyersuk said the dossier, compiled by Don Staniford, a critic of salmon farming, indicated “systemic and obvious” pain & suffering that could justify legal action against @scotgov @MairiGougeon @SSPOsays https://t.co/ZuzAis8gEr @SundayTimesScot @ciwf @scotgp pic.twitter.com/RPVIAL3KlS

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 2, 2020

 

Exposed: Loch Duart's RSPCA Assured 'Healthy' Salmon (packed with viruses, diseases & bacteria)!

 

Anyone for @rspcaassured Loch Duart salmon fresh from Loch Laxford? Comes with Salmon Gill Poxvirus, Heart & Skeletal inflammation, Piscine reovirus, hyperplasic branchitis, vascular disturbance, haemorrhage & Bacterial dermatitis @LochDuartSalmon @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/qMbkN2bn4t

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

Here's a Fish Health Inspectorate report relating to an inspection in August 2022 of Loch Duart's RSPCA Assured salmon farm in Loch Laxford - published by the Scottish Government on 15 November 2022:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teaser for Tomorrow: Which @rspcaassured salmon farm are these 'welfare friendly' fish sourced from? Photos taken by inspectors @marinescotland https://t.co/2sBrJXdrlL
The fish tested positive for Salmon Gill Poxvirus, Salmonid alphavirus & Piscine reovirus @LochDuartSalmon pic.twitter.com/8yOMKXwGOk

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported in October 2022:

 

The Worst of the Worst @ScotlandSalmon - headed by 55.9% mortality in September @LochDuartSalmon in Loch Carnan: that's over half the fish dying in 30 days!!https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI
But don't worry, Loch Duart is @rspcaassured - nothing to see here! https://t.co/UzZDt5a2qZ #RSPCA pic.twitter.com/6KKtrNoIsq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

 

In September 2022, a report published by $camon $cotland highlighted Loch Duart's mortality problems:

 

Loch Duart's marketing slogan is "unrivalled Scottish salmon" (it used to be "the Sustainable Salmon Company" but that was dropped after @ASA_UK invervention) - 50.3% mortality @rspcaassured in the Sound of Harris beats most of their rivals for sure! @ScotlandSalmon @RSPCAChris pic.twitter.com/YKdu04E3Dg

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 27, 2022

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported in September 2022:

 

Mmm - yummy looking "unrivalled" Scottish salmon "With a natural as possible diet & space to swim, each fish grows fitter & healthier every day" claims @LochDuartSalmon https://t.co/OxXxkqxHPh
Err...except unhealthy fish from farms with mortality rates over 25%! @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/f50gytF6TQ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 28, 2022

 

 

 

Back in April 2019, The Ferret reported that the Advertising Standards Agency forced Loch Duart to drop the word 'sustainable' from their branding:

 

 

 

 

In 2018, Loch Duart was ranked the worst salmon farming company in Scotland for animal welfare by OneKind:

 

 

 

Watch a BBC report from October 2018 on how Loch Duart's 'cleaner fish' supplier was caught catching fish in a 'No Take Zone' (leading to the suspension of the supplier):

 

 

 

Read more via:

Exclusive: New Photos Expose Gruesome Not 'Responsible' Mowi Salmon!

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

'Salmon Shame': An eye-opening video that exposes the horrors of open-net salmon farming in Scotland!

Photos Expose Ongoing Welfare Abuse at RSPCA Assured Salmon Farms!

Seaspiracy 2: Mowi's Disease & Welfare Nightmare in Loch Linnhe!

Cooke's Organic Scamon Exposed by Gruesome Photos from Orkney - RSPCA Assured Ouseness Oozes Welfare Abuse!

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

Scottish Salmon Exposed - Photos highlight the disease & welfare nightmare at The Scottish Salmon Company!

Photos of Welfare Abuse at The Scottish Salmon Company in Loch Carron (West Strome salmon farm)

The Camera Never Lies About Scottish Salmon!

RSPCA Assured Mowi Plagued by Mass Mortalities & Infectious Diseases on Skye

Be Sure to Boycott RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon - Shocking New Photos Published of Mowi's North Shore Feedlot in Loch Erisort!

Photo Dossier of Diseased, Deformed & Abused Scottish Salmon

Maaey day for the Scottish Salmon Company

Ground-truthing disease-ridden Scottish salmon

Mowi's Welfare Nightmare on Rum - "blind", "physical damage", "anorexic" & over 40,000 dead fish!

EXPOSED: Photo Disclosures Opens Floodgates to More Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon

Scottish Government rejects industry pleas on sick salmon photos

Mmmm Blind Scottish Salmon with Boils, Anyone?

Meet Pop-Eye the Scottish Salmon - Tortured by an Optilicer!

Cardiac Disease Arrests Mowi in Kingairloch

Salmon firms bid to block diseased photos

REVEALED: Legal Threats to Prevent Publication of Damning Photographs

FOI Dossier: Photographs of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon - Scottish Government FOI disclosure despite legal threats from Scottish Sea Farms & The Scottish Salmon Company

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (August 2018)

FOI Disclosure 18-02235: Photos of Scottish Sea Farms

FOI Disclosure 18-01782: Photos of The Scottish Salmon Company and others

Horror photos of farmed salmon spark legal threat

EXPOSED: Gruesome Photos of Deformed & Diseased Scottish Salmon

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (June 2018)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exclusive: New Photos Expose Gruesome Not 'Responsible' Mowi Salmon!

 

The truth about Mowi's @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua Scottish salmon: "The right eye was absent in fish #1 & exophthalmia was observed on fish #3. Lesions were visible on the flank & head of fish #5 & lice were observed on all fish"https://t.co/t5ivp3Co12
Photos published by @scotgov https://t.co/JfzwfyOklB pic.twitter.com/hOuEme9ww1

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

Here's a Fish Health Inspectorate report relating to an inspection in September 2022 of Mowi's ASC-certified and RSPCA Assured salmon farm at Stulaigh off South Uist - published by the Scottish Government on 15 November 2022:

 

Mystery Fish Competition: which @ASC_aqua & @rspcaassured salmon farm are these disease-ridden & lice-infested fish sourced from? @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/2sBrJXdrlL
Clue: you can find them in @sainsburys @Tesco @LidlGB @AldiUK marketed as "farmed responsibly" @ASA_UK pic.twitter.com/Cx08i27DBA

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a Fish Health Inspectorate report relating to an inspection in March 2022 for Mowi's RSPCA Assured Kingairloch salmon farm in Loch a Choire/Loch Linnhe (the report was just slipped out by the Scottish Government on 15 November 2022):

 

You need your head examined if you're still buying 'responsibly sourced' Scottish salmon - here's photos published this week by the Scottish Government @marinescotland @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/2sBrJXdrlL
This Mowi salmon farm is shamefully certified via @rspcaassured #Mowi pic.twitter.com/XRs0yHacUX

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No wonder Mowi's PR people do not want the public from viewing such stomach-churning images (Marine Harvest was renamed Mowi in 2019 due to 'negative perception' in the name Marine Harvest).

 

Mowi: "the risk of people turning away from a healthy food such as salmon as a reaction to irresponsible use of photos for the sole purpose of creating fear in the consumer, is a risk to public health" https://t.co/u9Fk2kOkxz @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @FergusEwingMSP pic.twitter.com/M3AyD3jMTm

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 24, 2019

 

 

 

 

Thankfully for consumers, the Scottish Government ignored Mowi's protestations - and legal arguments against disclosure from lawyers representing Norskott Havbruk (Scottish Sea Farms) and The Scottish Salmon Company (now called Bakkafrost Scotland) - and the floodgates have been opened to more and more gruesome photos.

 

Teaser for tomorrow: which feedlot is this 'responsibly farmed' salmon sourced from?
Clue - it's certified as welfare & environmentally friendly by @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua
Correct answers win a prize - employees @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon are banned from participating pic.twitter.com/2SafRChEHp

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 23, 2022

 

 

RSPCA Assured Mowi Plagued by Mass Mortalities & Infectious Diseases https://t.co/vxZTjE37qA Boycott disease-ridden Scottish salmon treated with antibiotics @MowiScotlandLtd @rspcaassured @sainsburys @LidlGB @AldiUK Enteric Redmouth Disease (Yersiniosis) is like the Black Death! pic.twitter.com/Rry8Y5vFvq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) May 27, 2020

 

 

Be Sure to Boycott RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon! https://t.co/61yIroIUBp Shocking new photos published of Mowi's disease-ridden North Shore feedlot in Loch Erisort @marinescotland @MowiScotlandLtd "visibly moribund fish" & "significant lice damage" @sainsburys @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/gjLaeqpcFz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 7, 2020

 

 

 

Moribund Mowi: "At the time of the visit moribund fish & some floating mortalities were observed in all cages" @marinescotland https://t.co/qr0tO3BMVR 73,459 morts (3,221 due to concussions from increased Caligus burdens), Salmon Gill Poxvirus, AGD & Anaemia @MowiScotlandLtd pic.twitter.com/GulKfO5p5z

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 27, 2020

 

 

 

Read more via:

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

'Salmon Shame': An eye-opening video that exposes the horrors of open-net salmon farming in Scotland!

Photos Expose Ongoing Welfare Abuse at RSPCA Assured Salmon Farms!

Seaspiracy 2: Mowi's Disease & Welfare Nightmare in Loch Linnhe!

Cooke's Organic Scamon Exposed by Gruesome Photos from Orkney - RSPCA Assured Ouseness Oozes Welfare Abuse!

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

Scottish Salmon Exposed - Photos highlight the disease & welfare nightmare at The Scottish Salmon Company!

Photos of Welfare Abuse at The Scottish Salmon Company in Loch Carron (West Strome salmon farm)

The Camera Never Lies About Scottish Salmon!

RSPCA Assured Mowi Plagued by Mass Mortalities & Infectious Diseases on Skye

Be Sure to Boycott RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon - Shocking New Photos Published of Mowi's North Shore Feedlot in Loch Erisort!

Photo Dossier of Diseased, Deformed & Abused Scottish Salmon

Maaey day for the Scottish Salmon Company

Ground-truthing disease-ridden Scottish salmon

Mowi's Welfare Nightmare on Rum - "blind", "physical damage", "anorexic" & over 40,000 dead fish!

EXPOSED: Photo Disclosures Opens Floodgates to More Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon

Scottish Government rejects industry pleas on sick salmon photos

Mmmm Blind Scottish Salmon with Boils, Anyone?

Meet Pop-Eye the Scottish Salmon - Tortured by an Optilicer!

Cardiac Disease Arrests Mowi in Kingairloch

Salmon firms bid to block diseased photos

REVEALED: Legal Threats to Prevent Publication of Damning Photographs

FOI Dossier: Photographs of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon - Scottish Government FOI disclosure despite legal threats from Scottish Sea Farms & The Scottish Salmon Company

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (August 2018)

FOI Disclosure 18-02235: Photos of Scottish Sea Farms

FOI Disclosure 18-01782: Photos of The Scottish Salmon Company and others

Horror photos of farmed salmon spark legal threat

EXPOSED: Gruesome Photos of Deformed & Diseased Scottish Salmon

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (June 2018)

 

 

EXPOSED: Photos of diseased salmon taken by @scotgov health inspectors at visits to farms - how can such abuse be marketed as "responsible" & 'welfare-friendly'? @rspcaassured @ScotlandSalmon @SoilAssociation @SoilAssocScot @ASC_aqua @scotgp @ciwf @onekindtweet @Animallawyersuk pic.twitter.com/NEFMuk504z

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 28, 2022

 

 

 

Edie Bowles @Animallawyersuk said the dossier, compiled by Don Staniford, a critic of salmon farming, indicated “systemic and obvious” pain & suffering that could justify legal action against @scotgov @MairiGougeon @SSPOsays https://t.co/ZuzAis8gEr @SundayTimesScot @ciwf @scotgp pic.twitter.com/RPVIAL3KlS

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 2, 2020

 

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!

 

 

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb! @scotgov @_KateForbes @MairiMcAllan @scotgp @MairiGougeon @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/3bpKF35ry0 pic.twitter.com/1GMwl4Z8lH

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

Here's a letter to Scottish Ministers from $camon $cotland (18 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 37-page letter concludes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Download the letter to Scottish Ministers from $camon $cotland (18 November 2022) in full online here

 

 

Why was no public warning issued to tourists, kayakers, swimmers, walkers, cruise ships, yachts, divers & residents endangered by the 'Toxic Threat Zone' off Portree? https://t.co/t1ux69sVwH @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @PortreeHigh @fire_scot @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/egBccWciAV

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

Why was the public not warned about "explosive" toxic gases leaking off Skye? Surely tourists in Portree, walkers along the coastal path near the salmon farm, kayakers, swimmers & divers should have been warned? @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @scotgov @HighlandCouncil @fire_scot https://t.co/DTfPoW0OTT pic.twitter.com/t2lu9ALauz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland - 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

Toxic Gasses Spew From The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost Scotland) Off Portree

 

 

Burning Question: A Risk Assessment by HAZMAT emergency responders Vanderpers highlighted a 'High' risk of exposure to the public from toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gas & 'Low' risk of "exposure to explosion" in Portree https://t.co/3x9UugzrFs
Why the f*** was there no public warning? pic.twitter.com/hZNPbey74T

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

 

When "explosive" Hydrogen Sulphide gases at 55,000 ppm were detected in August off Portree the authorities planned for a 'worst case scenario' & emergency response due to explosion risk. Yet they failed to issue a public warning! @fire_scot @PoliceScotland @NHSScotland @scotgov pic.twitter.com/FNI1ya2Mld

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

ADDENDUM:

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Nov 18, 2022 at 9:28 AM
Subject: Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "explosive" feed barge off Portree
To: <scottish.ministers@gov.scot>
Cc: <public.relations@mcga.gov.uk>, <infoline@mcga.gov.uk>, <ian.blackford.mp@parliament.uk>, John Finlayson (Councillor) <john.finlayson.cllr@highland.gov.uk>, Calum Munro (Councillor) <calum.munro.cllr@highland.gov.uk>, Drew Millar (Councillor) <Drew.Millar.cllr@highland.gov.uk>, Ruraidh Stewart (Councillor) <Ruraidh.Stewart.cllr@highland.gov.uk>, <chief.executive@highland.gov.uk>, <SFRS.Media@firescotland.gov.uk>, <sar.response@mcga.gov.uk>, Media <publicrelations@sepa.org.uk>, <marinepollution@nature.scot>, <ms.spillresponse@gov.scot>, <hpt.highland@nhs.scot>, <murdo.macaulay@mca.gov.uk>, <n.dundeecontrol@firescotland.gov.uk>, <navigation@nlb.org.uk>, <zone36@hmcg.gov.uk>, <enquiries@crownestatescotland.com>, Forbes K (Kate), MSP <Kate.Forbes.msp@parliament.scot>, <scc.mail@sepa.org.uk>, spillresponse@marlab.ac.uk <spillresponse@marlab.ac.uk>, <alert@maib.gov.uk>, <emergency.planning@highland.gov.uk>, <HQ_counterpollution@mcga.gov.uk>, <HQ_SOSrep@mcga.gov.uk>, <ahsh@sepa.org.uk>

 

Please find attached a letter to Scottish Ministers.

 

The letter can also be downloaded online here

 

It's also online via: Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!

 

And via Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheGAAIA/status/1593536063930339329

 

More details in yesterday's Times newspaper via:

 

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

 

 

Read more via:

 

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

 

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

 

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

 

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

 

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

 

 

Thanks,

 

Don Staniford

 

$camon $cotland

 

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

 

Today's Times newspaper: "Secret plans were drawn up for residents to be evacuated from one of Scotland’s most popular tourist destinations amid fears that a sunken barge could explode and spew toxic gases towards the shore, it has emerged" @timesscotland https://t.co/kKcietvNSf

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

The Times reported (17 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

The documents were obtained by Don Staniford, an environmental & anti-fish farming campaigner. “Despite known safety concerns & discussions of emergency responses no public warnings were issued,” he said @timesscotland https://t.co/kKcietvNSf@HighlandCouncil @MCA_media @scotgov

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

Radio Skye reported (17 November 2022):

 

 

"FOI requests reveal worst case scenario planning for Portree fish farm Hydrogen Sulphide leak" reported @radio_skye "Radio Skye has contacted Bakkafrost for comment, but has yet to receive a reply" https://t.co/FTXtVTCSJ5 @Folketrygdfond @ScotlandSalmon @HighlandCouncil pic.twitter.com/rmtTcP0d7n

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland - 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

Toxic Gasses Spew From The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost Scotland) Off Portree

 

 

Why was no public warning issued to tourists, kayakers, swimmers, walkers, cruise ships, yachts, divers & residents endangered by the 'Toxic Threat Zone' off Portree? https://t.co/t1ux69sVwH @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @PortreeHigh @fire_scot @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/egBccWciAV

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

 

Why was no public warning issued to tourists, kayakers, swimmers, walkers, cruise ships, yachts, divers & residents endangered by the 'Toxic Threat Zone' off Portree? https://t.co/t1ux69sVwH @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @PortreeHigh @fire_scot @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/egBccWciAV

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

Here's a Risk Assessment from Vanderpers Maritime dated 16 August 2022 in relation to the risk of exposure to the public from toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gas and public risk of exposure to explosion from a sunken feed barge at Bakkafrost's salmon farm off Portree on the Isle of Skye:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burning Question: A Risk Assessment by HAZMAT emergency responders Vanderpers highlighted a 'High' risk of exposure to the public from toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gas & 'Low' risk of "exposure to explosion" in Portree https://t.co/3x9UugzrFs
Why the f*** was there no public warning? pic.twitter.com/hZNPbey74T

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

 

Download the 17-page report in full online here

 

 

Here's the only public statement I can find issued by Highland Council - not a public warning but a "message of resassurance" to allay concerns from Portree residents after a BBC News story @BBCIainMac @BBCHighlands @BBCScotHighland @cllrjfinlayson @_KateForbes @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/tTmUiODzDE

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

$camon $cotland revealed on Monday (14 November 2022):

 

"Should the barge explode mitigations are in place to protect public health" wrote @marinescotland in August with Portree High School named as a rest centre “should the gas come to shore” & @HighlandCouncil as an ‘emergency response centre’