Update: Mass Mortalities Piling Up at Scottish Salmon

Data on mass mortalities on salmon farms across Scotland has been updated by the Scottish Government to include new information until the end of November 2019. The biggest mass mortality reported in November 2019 was at Mowi's North Shore salmon farm where "Complex gill disease with significant gill bleeding and resultant anaemia + CMS + PD + lice treatments" was reported as the 'explained reasons' for 79,019 mortalities. Another two 'Mortality Event Reports' for Mowi's North Shore detailed another 68,917 and 57,211 mortalities totaling 205,147 mortalities at Mowi's North Shore salmon farm in Loch Erisort on the Isle of Lewis.

"Ongoing sea lice challenge, as such mechanical treatments have been carried out," noted the additional information. "Worst pens for mortality and sea lice have been harvested out".

Further additional information included: "Lice skirts lifted to optimise dissolved oxygen levels within pens. Above threshold lice numbers so lice treatments have continued despite compromised gill and cardiovascular health." The latest mortality data published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (online via Scotland's Aquaculture) details 50 tonnes of dead salmon at Mowi's North Shore West farm in Loch Erisort in September 2019 in addition to the use of the shellfish-killing chemical Azamethiphos.

In October 2017, Mowi (then named Marine Harvest - they changed their name in January 2019 due to negative consumer perception despite objections from the Mowinckel family) also experienced mass mortalities in Loch Erisort.

At Mowi's Ardintoul salmon farm in Loch Alsh 'Special Area of Conservation' the Fish Health Inspectorate reported "Complex gill disease with significant AGD + piscirickettsia infection". There were 12,990 mortalities reported as ending on 10 November 2019 and 14,582 mortalities reported as ending on 3 November 2019 (with a total of five 'Mortality Event Reports' at Ardintoul in October and November totaling 95,723 farmed salmon).

Scottish Salmon Watch visited Mowi's Ardintoul salmon farm on 2 November 2019 taking video footage of dead salmon caught in the nets and disease-ridden salmon in mort bins.