Here's video footage of events in Loch Creran on 16 July 2020 captured by Scottish Salmon Watch (who today filed a formal complaint against Police Scotland for harassment and against Scottish Sea Farms for reckless behaviour and breach of safety):
Download Scottish Salmon Watch's complaint to Police Scotland in full online here
As a former cop, I would like to know what Act is 'criminal'? Watching the videos I see NO H&S issues, except the fish farm boat approaching the swimmer. What is this 'exclusion-zone' referred to? New one on me! Police failure to address two complaints or give advice interesting. https://t.co/Lxd8kLL3wo
I had thought @policescotland job was to uphold the law? Not make new laws on the hoof. The Chief Constable of @policescotland needs to investigate, why it appears to be acting as private security, when the sea is a public common. https://t.co/kQtFW3p1iF
Disgusting behavour from our police, they are perfectly happy to allow fish farm vehicles to drive around with toxic chemicals, diseased rotten fish and overloaded trailers and dump shit everywhere but threaten to prosecute for swimming !! https://t.co/eB2kAvbfyQ
A lot of nasty and toxic things are concealed under fish farms, not least that this industry is trying to steal our land. The seabed is held in trust for all and the public have the constitutional right to be on it for purposes including navigation and recreation./1 https://t.co/lm9p6V5Fqa
If Police Scotland is seriously interested in upholding the law then why are police officers not investigating the theft of a public beach and plastic pollution at Teithil Beach - just yards from where Scottish Salmon Watch was harassed?
Read a follow up letter to Police Scotland dated 6 August 2019 - online here
Scottish Sea Farms claimed in a letter dated 22 August 2019 that "a water-based protest poses a serious risk to our salmon stocks, potentially breaching biosecurity protocol and causing stress to the fish, both of which can have devastating consequences on animal welfare". Scottish Sea Farms invited Scottish Salmon Watch to "find less dangerous means of expressing your opinion" and referred to "several instances of people getting into unexpected difficulty, sometimes with fatal results".
I guess the truth about Scottish salmon hurts https://t.co/ZgrFAS7W1i If you did have time to show us around on 31 August we'd love to sample your "healthy" farmed salmon - what diseases, pathogens & viruses do you have currently? pic.twitter.com/lfviWoLjFW
If Police Scotland investigated Scottish Sea Farms instead of the public for daring to safely venture close to their salmon farms (which operate in public waters - and in the case of Loch Creran, a Special Area of Conservation supposedly protected by law) then they would uncover a disease-ridden welfare nightmare - as the BBC 'One Show' discovered when they filmed at Scottish Sea Farms in 2017.
When Scottish Salmon Watch visited the salmon farm operated by Scottish Sea Farms in Loch Spelve in August 2018 we were shocked at the levels of lice infestation - of both farmed salmon and cleaner fish. Watch video footage online here
"Drone footage clearly shows that Mowi endangered the health and safety of the general public during an inspection of a salmon farm in Loch Alsh 'Special Area of Conservation'," wrote Don Staniford, Director of Scottish Salmon Watch. "Mowi staff deliberately rammed a kayak, drove at high speed past a small dingy, unclipped a kayak tied safely to the farm, kicked a paddle into the water and scraped a work boot down my Achilles tendon. Mowi's behaviour on 2 November was both reckless and dangerous. Since Scottish Salmon Watch plans further unannounced site inspections and sampling near salmon farms it is a hoped that a protocol can be put in place urgently to properly police surveillance of this unhealthy and unsafe industry."
Here's photo stills grabbed from drone video footage taken ca. 8am on 2 November 2019 at Mowi's Ardintoul salmon farm in Loch Alsh (drone footage has been shared with the Health & Safety Executive and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency):
Here's the Mowi work boat recklessly speeding past a tiny dinghy safely navigating and filming in public waters:
Here's Mowi deliberately ramming into my safely tied kayak (luckily it was not badly battered and I was able to kayak back to shore):
When the Mowi work boat leaves the cage the engines cause unnecessary stress to the farmed salmon (unlike a kayak which operates quietly and without a motor):
Here's a Mowi worker scraping his work boot down my Achilles heel (not once but twice) as they surround and intimidate me (audio recordings of the interactions will hopefully be made available):
The same Mowi worker (he also called me a "cunt", "beady eyed" and mouthed "fuck you") is seen here untying my kayak which was safely clipped onto the cage and then throwing the safety rope into the water:
The Mowi worker is then filmed kicking my paddle into the water with the unclipped kayak now dangerous drifting away from the farm (at the same time another Mowi worker is ironically asking me to leave the site - even though my paddle and kayak are in danger of floating off into Loch Alsh):
When the Mowi worker fails to kick the paddle into the loch he moves to try for a second attempt (as a Mowi work boat emblazoned with the words "Safety First" docks alongside the cage). He appears to stop and looks up at the drone filming his every move:
The kayak floats along the cage as the Mowi worker seems to be beckoning the work boat to smash it against the farm:
Last month Scottish Salmon Watch revealed that the inventors of Imidacloprid use in salmon had admitted in their patent that "leakage" of the toxic chemical could occur.
So is this the price of our Lochs rivers and oceans and wildlife ??? 2 Quid !! 2 offers , the shops are full of tourists again and still the supermarkets cant get rid of there toxic disease ridden muck.. pic.twitter.com/IdVHmgKdBa
From: Nielsen, Jonas <Jonas.Nielsen@eftasurv.int> Date: Fri, Jul 3, 2020 at 3:25 PM Subject: Confirmatory Decision of the EFTA Surveillance Authority regarding documents in Case 83033 To: salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Dear Mr. Staniford,
A decision has now been taken on your confirmatory application of 5 May 2020.
Attached to this email you will find a pdf containing a scanned copy of:
Delegated College Decision 075/20/COL of 3 July 2020
Annex: the reasoned reply to your confirmatory application (Doc No 1136677)
Annex: list of documents (Doc No 1141423)
We are happy to provide you with the physical original of the decision and its annexes. If you would like the physical original sent to you, please provide us with a postal address.
From the decision, you will see that ESA has released four more documents from the case. You can find these documents in our public document database by clicking the following links:
Scottish Salmon Watch filed this FOI request with the Scottish Government (8 July 2020):
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Jul 8, 2020 at 9:40 AM Subject: FOI re. ova imports & ISA since 16 December 2019 To: <ceu@scotland.gsi.gov.uk>
Ova import data since the last imports detailed in the information disclosed via FOI-19-02663 (i.e. data since 16 December 2019).
Information in relation to discussions re. ova imports since 16 December 2019, to include discussions with the Norwegian Government, egg companies, salmon farming companies and other parties. This would also include any emails, letters, Cabinet Briefings, press updates and other information on ova imports in relation to salmon farming. It would also include any correspondence with EFTA/ESA, Mattilsynet (Norwegian Food Safety Authority), European Commission, AquaGen, Benchmark (Stofnfiskur), Landcatch (Hendrix Genetics), Mowi, Scottish Sea Farms and any other parties in relation to ova imports since 16 December 2019.
Information on any disease risks and biosecurity concerns of ova imports. This would include any discussions, emails, letters and other information relating to Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) which would certainly include reference to Norwegian salmon farming.
A public register of ALL toxic chemicals used on salmon farms in Scotland could be in the pipeline according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) reply from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).
"In April 2019, the VMD had a discussion with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) on the set-up of a medicine data collection system," revealed the VMD in a FOI reply dated 18 June 2020. "The discussion included the monitoring of ‘beneficial non-medicinal compounds’ and particularly, formalin" (see Appendix at end of this blog for the FOI reply in full).
Data on the use of the toxic chemicals Azamethiphos, Deltamethrin and Emamectin benzoate by salmon farms (excluding use via well boats) is already published online via Scotland's Aquaculture web-site (using data submitted by salmon farms to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency):
Whilst data for the use of Azamethiphos, Deltamethrin and Emamectin benzoate on salmon farms is currently available up until the end of March 2020 (Q1 2020), SEPA has still not bothered to upload data on the use via well boats via their Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory for 2019.
Why is Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory data on use of Azamethiphos & Deltamethrin via well boats still not published for 2019 when data on use of toxic chemicals via salmon farms is now available up to March 2020 via Scotland's Aquaculture? @ScottishEPA@marinescotlandpic.twitter.com/8wrMq7yTkR
At least since March 2020, SEPA has published 2018 SPRI data for Azamethiphos, Deltamethrin and Emamectin benzoate (which apparently includes well boat data). Here's the SPRI data for Azamethiphos use by salmon farms in 2018 - headed by Grieg Seafood's Setterness salmon farm in Shetland.
You can search by pollutant - including data for Deltamethrin and Emamectin benzoate - online here
Also on 12 April we reported that salmon farmers were being allowed to use more toxic pesticides during the #coronavirus emergency - despite risks to marine wildlife.https://t.co/hzdwuDXTOB
More videos of toxic chemicals used on salmon farms are available via:
Anyone for Scottish salmon doused in carcinogenic chemicals? https://t.co/vJq8ozquQB Scottish salmon farming is so toxic you have to wear a gas mask - I'd rather eat one of @DamienHirst's pickled sharks
Emamectin contamination of Scottish farmed salmon has occurred at least eight times with other cases reported by the VMD in 2012 (Scottish Salmon Company), 2010 (Lakeland Marine), 2009 (Skelda Salmon), 2006 (Scottish Sea Farms) and 2005 (Marine Harvest, re-named Mowi in 2019 due to negative consumer perception).
Read more on toxic chemicals used by salmon farms online here
Appendix:
From: Andrew Saunders <a.saunders@vmd.gov.uk> Date: Thu, Jun 18, 2020 at 3:10 PM Subject: Official Sensitive: Reply to Freedom of Information Request ATI0658 To: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Dear Don
Thank you for your email dated 20th May 2020.
Your Request
You asked for:
‘Further to Scottish Salmon Watch's letter dated 17 March 2020, please provide details on any proposed, in progress and completed field trials of Imidacloprid (Ectosan/BMK08) by the salmon farming industry in Scotland since 2017.
This would involve documentation pertaining to any field trials - however illegal, unsanctioned, aborted, unfinished and/or still in the pipeline - in 2019 (or even earlier) as well as any field trials in Loch Ailort by Mowi and other companies at other locations in Scotland during 2020.
Please provide information relating to the possible misreporting of chemical use in salmon farming since 2017.
Please provide information on discussions at a national/UK level with the VMD and other government agencies about Formalin and other chemicals used in freshwater and marine aquaculture since 2017.
Please include emails, letters, internal discussions, Cabinet Briefings, reports, environmental assessments and any other information relating to the above since 2017.’
Our Reply
As a general point, you should note that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives you an entitlement to information rather than documents and it is in this context that we have answered your request.
‘Further to Scottish Salmon Watch's letter dated 17 March 2020, please provide details on any proposed, in progress and completed field trials of Imidacloprid (Ectosan/BMK08) by the salmon farming industry in Scotland since 2017.
This would involve documentation pertaining to any field trials - however illegal, unsanctioned, aborted, unfinished an/or still in the pipeline - in 2019 (or even earlier) as well as any field trials in Loch Ailort by Mowi and other companies at other locations in Scotland during 2020.
The VMD is not aware of any current or completed field trials for imidacloprid (Ectosan/BMK08) by the salmon farming industry in Scotland, since 2017.
Please provide information relating to the possible misreporting of chemical use in salmon farming since 2017.
We do not hold any information on misreporting of veterinary medicines.
Please provide information on discussions at a national/UK level with the VMD and other government agencies about Formalin and other chemicals used in freshwater and marine aquaculture since 2017.
Please include emails, letters, internal discussions, Cabinet Briefings, reports, environmental assessments and any other information relating to the above since 2017.’
The following sets out the timeline of the relevant discussions concerning formalin.
April 2019
The VMD had a discussion with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) on the set-up of a medicine data collection system. The discussion included the monitoring of ‘beneficial non-medicinal compounds’ and particularly, formalin.
June 2019
A previous FOI/EIR request was made by yourself on ‘Public Register of ALL toxic chemical use on Scottish salmon farms & Immediate Ban on Carcinogenic Formaldehyde (Formalin)’, dated, 26th June 2019. It is noted that a joint response was given to you with DEFRA as the lead (and in conjunction with SEPA).
November 2019
The VMD met with SEPA and SEPA have subsequently requested more information on the sale/import/production of formaldehyde/formalin for the treatment of fish in the UK.
January 2020
The VMD has met with SEPA and provided information on the use of formalin/formaldehyde with regard to prescribing and when it is defined as a veterinary medicinal product or a biocide.
Scottish Salmon Watch filed this FOI request on 8 July 2020:
From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Jul 8, 2020 at 11:57 AM Subject: FOI re. Well Boats & Salmon Farms Since 1 October 2018 To: <ceu@scotland.gsi.gov.uk>
Please provide information on well boats and salmon farms since 1 October 2018.
- Please include data on chemical use including Azamethiphos, Deltamethrin, Hydrogen Peroxide, Emamectin benzoate, Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan) and any other chemicals, medicines, antibiotics and anti-parasiticides which may be used via well boats.
- Please include any discussions relating to the input, sharing and publication of well boat data on chemical use by salmon farms via 'Scotland's Aquaculture' and SEPA's 'Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory' (this would include dialogue with salmon farmers, chemical companies and government agencies).
- Please include copies of any well boat licences issued since 1 October 2018.
- Please provide information on well boat bio-security, cleaning, mort disposal, diseases and chemical waste discharges in relation to salmon farming (including information relating to how and where the wastes, effluents and mortalities are discharged, transported and disposed of).
- Please include any information relating to the transfer of licensing/regulatory powers for well boats from the Scottish Government (Marine Scotland) to SEPA including Cabinet Briefings, emails, letters and any other information.
"The position for now is very clear. MS has been the licensing authority for wellboat discharges for the last 8 years, However, and as the Cabinet Secretary [Fergus Ewing] will be aware from the discussions at the Aquaculture Industry Leadership Group, Marine Scotland have been actively looking at moving forward on the recommendation from the 2016 'Independent review of Aquaculture Consents', which looked at the licensing role for wellboat discharge moving to SEPA. That recommendation has raised some challenges but it still under active consideration and we are hopeful (sic) close to a conclusion"
Scottish Salmon Watch is interested in why the transfer of licensing from Marine Scotland to SEPA is taking so long and why well boat data on chemical use by salmon farms is not posted publicly in a more speedy manner.
Scottish Salmon Watch has been scratching under the surface of the toxic salmon farming industry and desperately needs a shower. According to documents disclosed via Freedom of Information, one of the 'inventors' of Imidacloprid use in salmon farming is Benchmark's John Marshall who has been lobbying the Scottish Government's Fergus Ewing (Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy & Connectivity) since at least September 2018 with a meeting in Edinburgh in October 2018 to discuss "field trials in Scotland".
Just six foreign-owned companies - Mowi (Marine Harvest), Scottish Sea Farms, The Scottish Salmon Company, Grieg Seafood, Cooke Aquaculture and Loch Duart - control 99% of Scottish salmon farming production.
Imidacloprid - Banned because it's extremely toxic to aquatic life and hazardous to the aquatic environment. Who would think that allowing it to be used in Scottish salmon farms would be a good idea? @FergusEwingMSP@scotgov - that's who. https://t.co/oqDbIkdDsS
Benchmark's patent for use of the toxic neonicotinoid insecticide Imidacloprid in salmon farming concedes it is a "potentially hazardous agent in the field" & that "leakage" can occur with "loss of agent in the environment" https://t.co/QfeF31RAiM@WeAreBenchmark@FerdOwnerpic.twitter.com/IPjorjqtmO