Download press release and media backgrounder in full online here
The Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture (GAAIA) is calling for a ban on the use of Emamectin benzoate (trade name SLICE) citing a damning scientific report detailing lethal impacts on shellfish including lobsters [1]. FOI documents reveal that the report commissioned by the Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum was buried last year after lobbying from the Scottish salmon farming industry who successfully argued that publicity "could undermine commercial confidence in the industry" and "damage all of our reputations" [2].
The report published in August 2016 to zero publicity or media coverage concluded that "a reduction in crustacean richness and abundance by 63-96% respectively could be expected" following the use of Emamectin benzoate on salmon farms in Scotland. The report - "Towards Understanding of the Environmental Impact of a Sea Lice Medicine – the PAMP Suite" - was finally acted upon this week by SEPA following last weekend's front page article in The Sunday Herald and the disclosure of damning documents this week to GAAIA.
"We have been trying to agree a common media position with all parties in order to minimize the controversy as and when it is noticed by the media," wrote the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation in an email to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency in August 2016.
"Your statement concerning the fate of SLICE is pre-emptive, controversial and could undermine commercial confidence in the industry," stated another email from the SSPO to SEPA. "Should you publish this statement in its current format, I suspect that it will lead to a good deal of media scrutiny which will seek to undermine the industry’s reputation and will probably damage all of our reputations," begged SSPO's Chief Executive Scott Landsburgh.
Read the documents obtained via FOI from SEPA on 1 March 2017:
SSPO lobbying of SEPA in August 2016
SSPO proposal to SEPA on an agreed media position
£30 & £50 dinners paid by the SSPO for SEPA's Chief Executive in Nov 2015 and April 2016
Letter from Marine Harvest's MD Ben Hadfield to SEPA's Chief Executive in July 2016
Letter from Marine Harvest's Ewan Gillespie to SEPA's Chief Executive in August 2016
SEPA's Douglas Sinclair to SEPA's Chief Executive in February 2016
Letter from SSPO to SEPA on "alignment of actions" in January 2016
Letter from SEPA to SSPO on "common ground" in November 2015
Agenda of SSPO & SEPA meeting in May 2016
"Based on this new evidence, SEPA is reviewing all fish farm licences permitting the use of SLICE, tightening conditions for the medicine’s use after discussions with VMD," stated SEPA View finally on 1 March 2017 (some seven months after SEPA drafted a statement). "We are beginning the issuing of these new licences this week, and this will be completed by the end of April. This restriction will remain in place while SEPA and the industry carry out further research to either confirm or confound the apparent link between SLICE use and possible environmental effects" [4].
In January 2017, The Sunday Times revealed that the use of toxic chemicals on Scottish salmon farms leapt over 1000% between 2005 and 2015 - including a six-fold increase in the use of Emamectin benzoate [5].
"It is shameful that SEPA has once again cravenly kowtowed to pressure from the salmon farming industry," said Don Staniford, Director of the Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture. "Judas's price of betrayal was thirty pieces of silver - the price for SEPA's Chief Executive seems to be a £30 slap-up dinner. Given the shocking scientific assessment, SEPA had no choice but to take drastic action. However, SEPA cannot stop short of an outright ban on Emamectin benzoate use. The use of Teflubenzuron was stopped in 2015 following similar damning data on impacts on lobsters - now SEPA must ban the use of Emamectin benzoate on salmon farms."
Download press release and media backgrounder in full online here
Read more via "Crackdown on fish farm pesticides after Sunday Herald investigation"
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