Sunday Times: "Scottish government-backed salmon study lures industry funding"

Today's Sunday Times: "Scottish government-backed salmon study lures industry funding" @SundayTimesScot https://t.co/VwFkupJ2S6 @AST_Salmon @SSPOsays @SalmonTroutCons @TheSoundOfJura @strathearnrose @MowiScotlandLtd @fms_scotland @marinescotland @JulieHL @HamishMacdonell pic.twitter.com/tw5hssWpk8
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 23, 2020

The Sunday Times reported (23 August 2020):

So how much money is @SSPOsays @MowiScotlandLtd @scotseafarms @salmon_scottish @GriegShetland paying to @AST_Salmon @fms_scotland @marinescotland @strathearnrose ? @HamishMacdonell claimed back in January @salmonfarming1 that no £££££s were coming from industry https://t.co/EvxrvE5c9i pic.twitter.com/PWDSzPHvgg
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 23, 2020

Earlier this week (20 August), the Scottish Government slipped out Freedom of Information documents replied to back on 28 July 2020 on the 'West Coast Salmon Smolt Tracking Project' (but explained "due to the size of the files we are unable to upload the documents"):

The Scottish Government refused to disclose other documents claiming:

The same day (20 August 2020), the Scottish Government posted online another FOI disclosure responded to on 28 July 2020:

Here's a blog from June 2020 via "Mowi steers West Coast Salmon Smolt Tracking Project away from disease-ridden feedlots":

An email obtained from the Scottish Government via Freedom of Information on 23 June 2020 (EIR 202000018350) shows how Norwegian salmon farming giant Mowi is quite literally steering the course for the controversial West Coast Salmon Smolt Tracking Project.

Scottish Salmon Watch have asked for a review of the Scottish Government's refusal to disclose information on the West Coast Salmon Smolt Tracking project and other interactions between wild salmon and salmon farming.

Download FOI review re Wild Fisheries & Salmon Farming Interactions 24 June 2020

Scottish Salmon Watch is interested in documents detailing how the salmon farming industry is funding and supporting the project despite claims by the salmon farming lobby that the industry was not providing funding.

Documents disclosed via FOI in December 2019 included reference to funding and partnership with the lice-infested salmon farming industry:

The Scottish Government disclosed some information in March 2020 but refused other information and redacted other documents:

Documents disclosed in March 2020 included:

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in January 2020:

Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots reported on 6 March 2020:

Fish Farming Expert reported on 10 January 2020:

Anyone tracking the issue of salmon farming on the West Coast of Scotland will know that there is a very simple relationship between lice-infested salmon farms and the decline of wild fish (so simple that even the Scottish Government admits this).

As New Scientist reported over 20 years ago in 1998:

Watch how minders tried to muzzle a Scottish Government scientist speaking out in 2001 - on the BBC's award-winning documentary 'The Price of Salmon':

National Geographic reported in 2008:

It certainly does not take a rocket scientist or another industry-funded project to conclude that salmon farms kill wild fish.

A scientific review of the impacts of salmon farming on wild fish is available online here

The Atlantic Salmon Trust's toxic relationship with the 'Scottish' salmon farming industry (99% of which is controlled/owned by foreign money) will only cloud the issue. If we know anything from the history of salmon farming in Scotland, we know that the salmon farming lobby have a long history of trust and secrecy issues.