Don Staniford accused “trigger-happy” salmon companies of a “killing spree”. Scottish salmon was “stained with the blood of dead seals” @DailyMirror “Over 1,000 seals have been slaughtered since 2011 according to official statistics" https://t.co/scDD38SSQl@NadaFarhoud#Seals
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 @DailyMirrorhttps://t.co/scDD38SSQl
Data published by the Scottish Government reveals that Scottish salmon's #1 seal killer is the Norwegian giant Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) which has killed in excess of 230 seals since 2011.
Isn't it amazing that members of the public can collect carcasses and manage to capture photographs whilst multinational salmon farming companies struggle? pic.twitter.com/fKl9FEq7sF
As you well know, salmon farmers have killed seals illegally for decades. "Following an investigation by Marine Scotland Cooke Aquaculture was fined £2,000 for failing to report the killing of seals in Basta Voe" https://t.co/ljYkL1Adyt Illegal killing will not be tolerated! pic.twitter.com/fQANfLBNjF
Salmon farming companies have been criticised for not reporting seal shooting in time and for having "something amiss" with seal control.https://t.co/cXhqzgaDpm
Read Ferret article - including access to the FOI documents disclosed by the Scottish Government - online here
If Scottish salmon farms can’t protect seals & other protected wildlife as well as the fish they are rearing, they have no business operating & @marinescotland inadequate action to effectively implement required laws & assist the industry, has been underwhelming, to say the least https://t.co/86cpFH17br
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Dec 2, 2020 at 8:11 AM Subject: FOI re. seals killed by salmon farmers since 1 January 2020 To: <ceu@scotland.gsi.gov.uk>
Please provide information on seals killed (including the reporting of seals killed and any discussions on the killing of seals) by salmon farmers since 1 January 2020.
Please include data, copies of licences, returns, email correspondence, letters (e.g. to NOAA), Cabinet Briefings, discussions of seals being killed and reported and any other information relating to the killing of seals since 1 January 2020.
The Scottish Government 'Progress Report' (28 September 2020) also stated:
Please therefore provide the information "as soon as possible" - it appears strange that 2020 data was previously available for Q1 2020 but I cannot find it online now.
Please also provide any information since 1 January 2020 on seals killed illegally or unreported. Scottish Salmon Watch received the following email in October 2020:
I know an insider at [company name deleted] who confirms the company shoots a lot more seals than what they report. Plenty goes unreported.
Please consider this a FOI request under the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations.
Please provide a receipt.
Please provide the information electronically in a reasonable format (e.g. do not provide Excel spreadsheets as PDFs as previous FOI replies have done so).
Thanks,
Don Staniford
From: <casehandling.service@gov.scot> Date: Mon, Feb 1, 2021 at 1:19 PM Subject: Your recent correspondence with Scottish Government and partner agencies - 202000118346 To: <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Please find attached a response to your correspondence.
73 PDFs of information were made available via Zip files - read more via FOI Backgrounder
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Fri, Feb 5, 2021 at 2:45 PM Subject: FOI re. seals killed and injured by salmon farms since 1 January 2018 To: <strandings@sruc.ac.uk>
Please provide information on seals killed and injured by salmon farms since 1 January 2018.
Please include any photos, data, emails, letters, autopsies, correspondence and any other information relating to seals and salmon farms.
Please include any information on recovery of carcasses - including any data analysis of previous years. For example, the Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture reported in 2015 via "Scottish Salmon Blinded by Seal Killing":
"Of the 51 seals killed this year (January to July 2015), zero carcasses were recovered or collected and only three were reported to the Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme. Out of 173 seals killed during 2013 and 2014 a total of 19 carcasses (11%) were reported, 16 carcasses recovered (9%) and only one carcass (<1%) collected (read more via "Appendix: Companies, Regions & Sites")."
For example, a report form 2015 included data on recovery of carcasses:
An email obtained via FOI from the Scottish Government on 1 February 2021 (FOI-202000118346) detailed:
Please also include details of any discussions with salmon farming companies, the SSPCA, RSPCA, RSPCA Assured, Scottish Government or any other parties in relation to seals killed or injured by salmon farming. For example, the following emails were obtained from the Scottish Government via FOI on 1 February 2021 (FOI-202000118346):
Please provide a receipt for this FOI request.
Please provide the information electronically.
Scottish Salmon Watch understands from your web-site that: "The Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) has been in operation since 1992. It is part of the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, and is funded by the Scottish and Westminster government":
Hence we understand that you are subject to FOI law.
Thanks,
Don Staniford
Director, Scottish Salmon Watch
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Sat, Feb 6, 2021 at 9:29 AM Subject: Query re. 2019 seal killing data - Q4 data missing To: <ceu@scotland.gsi.gov.uk>, <Kate.Webb@gov.scot>
If you open the 2019 Excel spreadsheet data for Q4 appears to be missing:
Could you please update the data so a full analysis of all seals killed by salmon farms since 2011 can be completed?
Thanks,
Don
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Mon, Feb 8, 2021 at 10:33 AM Subject: Addendum: FOI re. seals killed and injured by salmon farms since 1 January 2018 To: <strandings@sruc.ac.uk>
Please consider this a FOI request under the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations.
Thanks,
Don
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Mon, Feb 8, 2021 at 1:17 PM Subject: FOI re. Licences to Kill Seals Issued by Police Scotland for Marksmen since 1 Jan 2020 To: FOI <foi@scotland.pnn.police.uk>
Please provide information on licences to kill seals issued by Police Scotland - including the names of 'nominated marksmen' - since 1 January 2020.
Please include copies of any firearms certificates, licences and any other official documents pertaining to the legal discharge of guns by marksmen to kill seals.
Please include information on cases involving the illegal use of firearms by marksmen, salmon farmers or any other parties in relation to the killing of seals on salmon farms.
As context, information disclosed by the Scottish Government on 1 February 2021 via FOI-202000118346 redacted the names of 'nominated marksmen' which were "issued by Police Scotland" for dozens of licences to kill seals.
These included three nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Scottish Sea Farms:
Another licence for the North West Salmon Management Group (which includes salmon farms operated by Wester Ross and Loch Duart) is so redacted it is difficult to say if Police Scotland issued the nominated marksmen licences or how many marksmen are listed but it could be 10:
Scottish Salmon Watch assumes that the nominated marksmen may be the same or contain repeat names on different licences but there may be over a dozen marksmen. Please therefore provide their names and the documentation pertaining to their licence to kill seals on salmon farms in Scotland.
The Scottish Government FOI disclosure (FOI-202000118346) on 1 February 2021 also cited a case involving a seal killed by Mowi in Loch Ewe which was outwith their licence (i.e. illegal) which Scottish Government officials stated was passed onto Police Scotland's Wildlife Crime Unit.
Please therefore provide any information held by Police Scotland in relation to this case and any others involving seals killed by salmon farms since 1 January 2020.
Please consider this a formal request for information 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, Scottish Salmon Watch
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Feb 10, 2021 at 12:34 PM Subject: Review request re. FOI-202000118346 To: <CEU@gov.scot>
Please consider this a formal request for a review of FOI-202000118346 replied to by the Scottish Government on 1 February 2021.
FOI-202000118346 redacted the names of 'nominated marksmen' which were "issued by Police Scotland" for dozens of licences to kill seals.
These included three nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Scottish Sea Farms:
Another licence for the North West Salmon Management Group (which includes salmon farms operated by Wester Ross and Loch Duart) is so redacted it is difficult to say if Police Scotland issued the nominated marksmen licences or how many marksmen are listed but it could be 10:
Scottish Salmon Watch assumes that the nominated marksmen may be the same or contain repeat names on different licences but there may be over a dozen marksmen. Please therefore provide their names and remove the redaction.
Since the killing of seals by salmon farms was made illegal on 31 January 2021 any arguments for confidentiality are also diminished.
If the Scottish Government decides to uphold the redaction of the names of the nominated marksmen please at least indicate how many different marksmen are listed in the Seal Licence documents disclosed.
Please provide a receipt for this FOI review request.
Thanks,
Don Staniford
Director, Scottish Salmon Watch
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Thu, Feb 11, 2021 at 8:02 PM Subject: FOI re. illegal killing of seals & breaches of Seal Licences by salmon farms since 1 January 2018 To: <ceu@scotland.gsi.gov.uk>
Please provide information on the illegal killing of seals and breaches of Seal Licences by salmon farmers since 1 January 2018.
Please note that FOI-2020-00118346 replied to by the Scottish Government on 1 February 2021 disclosed some information but refused other information stating:
This new FOI request requests the "Wildlife Crime intelligence held by the Scottish Government" since 1st January 2018 in relation to seals killed by salmon farms. Scottish Salmon Watch has also filed a FOI request with Police Scotland.
In particular, please include any information relating to seals killed by Grieg Seafood in Loch Dunvegan. A Tweet on 8 February 2021 (replying to a Tweet on 18 January 2021) included a photo of a harbour seal with a bullet wound to the head on the shore of Loch Dunvegan:
Please also provide the report to Police Scotland's Wildlife Crime Unit cited in the following email disclosed via FOI-2020-00118346 on 1 February 2021:
It appears that there may be missing documentation pertaining to this case - either refused or omitted via FOI-2020-00118346.
In any case, this FOI requests information on this case (and any others) up to today's date and may therefore include a reply from Scottish Sea Farms.
Please also include information on "seal licence misdemeanours" even if they were not actioned and resulted only in a verbal warning. Note that the Scottish Government's FOI disclosure on 1 February 2021 (FOI-2020-00118346) included:
In conclusion, please provide information on the illegal killing of seals and breaches of Seal Licences by salmon farmers since 1 January 2018.
If the Scottish Government refuses to provide specific information, please provide generic data on the number of cases reported to Police Scotland's Wildlife Crime Unit and the number of seal licence breaches and "misdemeanours" by salmon farming companies.
Please consider this a FOI request under the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations.
Please provide a receipt.
Please provide the information electronically.
Thanks,
Don Staniford
Director, Scottish Salmon Watch
From: Webb K (Kate) Sent: 12 February 2021 15:41 To: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Cc: Central Enquiry Unit <CEU@gov.scot>; LOT Business and Operational Delivery (ms.bod@gov.scot) <ms.bod@gov.scot> Subject: 202000118346 - Holding email to requestor re Query re. 2019 seal killing data from requestor - Q4 data missing - 12 February 2021
Dear Mr Staniford,
Thank you for your email below.
I forwarded your query below, made on the 6 February 2021, to a colleague who has prepared the update you have requested below. The Q4 missing data was provided to the website team yesterday for publication on our website.
I have just checked now and I can see the web link has not yet been updated, but I will check again early next week and advise you as soon as it has been.
Kind regards,
Kate Webb
Business Casework Officer – Business and Operational Delivery
Licensing Operations Team - Marine Planning & Policy - Marine Scotland - Scottish Government
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: <ms.bod@gov.scot> Date: Mon, Feb 15, 2021 at 4:23 PM Subject: 202000118346 - Marine licensing: seal licence returns Q4 2019 data now available online - 15 February 2021 To: <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Cc: <CEU@gov.scot>, <ms.bod@gov.scot>
In the murky world of salmon farming - every bit as intensive as terrestrial farming but 'out of sight and out of mind' so it risks slipping through the net of public scrutiny - the use of toxic chemicals to control diseases and parasites such as sea lice is endemic. The Guardian's John Vidal reported in 2017:
Even industry insiders appeared to be in the dark about the toxic ingredient in Ectosan - speculating in an email disclosed via FOI that it could be the toxic organophosphate Azamethiphos.
When The Sunday Times wrote about Benchmark's 'CleanTreat' technology - the vehicle with which Imidacloprid is used in salmon farming - in December 2019 it was still not publicly known that Ectosan/BMK08 was in fact Imidacloprid.
Benchmark quietly rebranded Ectosan as BMK08 in late November 2019 with the trade press and the public (perhaps even investors) still unaware that BMKo8 was in fact the toxic neonicotinoid Imidacloprid.
When Scottish Salmon Watch filed Freedom of Information (FOI) requests on Ectosan and BMK08 with the Scottish Government, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in 2019 we were still unaware that BMK08/Ectosan was Imidacloprid.
Campaigners fear that a nicotine pesticide that the fish farming industry and the Scottish Government want to trial in Scotland could threaten marine wildlife.https://t.co/bw5IBgTwqi
Jean-Marc Bonmatin, from the French National Centre for Scientific Research, was quoted @SundayTimesScot warning "the use of Imidacloprid as it is presented for salmon farming will be catastrophic for aquatic invertebrates, and even for fishes" @undercurhttps://t.co/1KJ21gpTn6
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
A patent filed in Canada (CA3045239A1) in December 2017 (published in June 2018 & described as a 'National Entry' in May 2019) details the 'inventors' of the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming as UK residents John Marshall, Matthew Longshaw and Elizabeth Appleyard.
One of the 'inventors' of Imidacloprid use in salmon farming is Benchmark's John Marshall who, according to documents disclosed in December 2019 via FOI, has been lobbying the Scottish Government since at least September 2018 with a meeting in Edinburgh in October 2018 and a meeting in the Scottish Parliament with Fergus Ewing, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy & Connectivity, in September 2019.
Meanwhile it seems the floodgates are being opened up to use Imidacloprid across Europe and in Chile. Fish Farming Expert reported (10 September 2020):
Has the Aquaculture Stewardship Council approved the use of the toxic neonicotinoid Imidacloprid at over 400 @ASC_aqua certified salmon farms? https://t.co/R4l8knDTZu Why delete Mowi's 'Interpretation Request' on the use of Ectosan (Imidacloprid) in salmon farming? @ScotlandMowipic.twitter.com/qPQ2BlKi1Q
NOAA explained in an email to Scottish Salmon Watch (1 March 2021):
NOAA: "I don't know what you mean by 'MMPA compliant'. If you are referring to whether certain ADDs are included in the PROPOSED guidelines for deterring marine mammals, that information is available on our website in the proposed rule....Again, the proposal is not yet final" pic.twitter.com/tZuYWuA6Do
Jean-Marc Bonmatin, from the French National Centre for Scientific Research, was quoted @SundayTimesScot warning "the use of Imidacloprid as it is presented for salmon farming will be catastrophic for aquatic invertebrates, and even for fishes" @undercurhttps://t.co/1KJ21gpTn6
This lice treatment for farmed salmon contains #neonicotinoid#pesticide 'Imidacloprid' - which is highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Banned from use in terrestrial agriculture, it beggars belief that it could be used in our seas...https://t.co/YudjDu9scD
Campaigners fear that a nicotine pesticide that the fish farming industry and the Scottish Government want to trial in Scotland could threaten marine wildlife.https://t.co/bw5IBgTwqi
Yesterday evening (20 February 2021), the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation issued a press release (presumably because they knew the Sunday Times article was coming):
It is critical that salmon farmers have a suite of deterrents available to offer protection against predation, but the sector is voluntarily withdrawing EPS licence applications due to the continued lack of clarification... https://t.co/3M9OFgzFpTpic.twitter.com/T0X92a8BP7
— Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (@SSPOsays) February 20, 2021
The SSPO's statement prompted a flurry of Tweets:
It was always illegal. Deliberate or reckless Disturbance of any dolphin, porpoise or whale is illegal.
A VERY GOOD QUESTION! Many in government and gov. Agencies should hang their heads in shame. Remember, this is the government that wont define 'SUSTAINABLE'! https://t.co/DuGwzUT8KQ
Some very simple legal facts. 1 Unlicensed use of an ADD is illegal. Builders of piers, rigs etc know this. 2 @marinescotland know this too. 3 Companies use them, MS don't act. 4 Crown Office know too, don't act. 5 Private Prosecution isn't available. 6 Result:nasty stalemate. https://t.co/UaaI0zqD14
Yesterday (16 February 2021), Scottish Salmon Watch received the following complaint filed by Lesley Rice (Head of Communications at Norwegian-owned Scottish Sea Farms) with the Information Commissioner's Office:
From: ICO Casework <icocasework@ico.org.uk> Date: Tue, Feb 16, 2021 at 4:11 PM Subject: ICO Case Reference: IC-73593-C8T4 To: Don Staniford <dstaniford@gaaia.org>
16 February 2021
Case Reference: IC-73593-C8T4
Dear Sir or Madam,
Please find attached details of a complaint raised with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
Jessica Malpass Case Officer Information Commissioner's Office Tel: 03303131864
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF T. ico.org.uktwitter.com/iconews
I replied to Lesley Rice's complaint (17 February 2021) with an addendum (18 February 2021):
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Feb 17, 2021 at 10:47 AM Subject: Re: Request for removal of photos To: Lesley Rice <lesley.rice@scottishseafarms.com> Cc: ICO Casework <icocasework@ico.org.uk>
Lesley,
In reply to your threatening email of 13 January 2021 (enclosed below) and your complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office (copied in here) which I received yesterday (16 February 2021) please consider this a formal reply.
As a public relations officer for a Norwegian-owned multinational operating in Scottish public waters, you must surely understand and appreciate the public nature of your job. Recent media coverage of your company is certainly not pretty and it must be a challenging job trying to keep a lid on all the negative media stories:
However, dealing with the public and fronting up to tackle PR nightmares that your disease-ridden company is regularly embroiled in is a daily part of your job.
Giving interviews to the media and being the public face of such a heinous company is sadly part of your job.
Your lice-infested company unsuccessfully attempted to block the publication of damning photos of disease-ridden salmon (disclosed via FOI by the Scottish Government online here):
Your attempt to remove a blog featuring a photo of you which appeared on a public social media platform (LinkedIn) will be equally unsuccessful in my view.
Scottish Sea Farms - the company which you are employed by - is a company with a public profile and accounts publicly listed via Companies House:
The two largest shareholders in Scottish Sea Farms (real name Norskott Havbruk) - Leroy & SalMar - include the Norwegian Government's Pension Fund (Folketrygdfond) which is invested on behalf of the Norwegian public:
In conclusion, I strongly argue (and I will be only too happy to expand upon this in any future discussions with the Information Commissioner's Office) that your job as head of public relations for a publicly-owned company operating in public waters is by definition in the public eye. A photo you posted on a publicly available social media platform (LinkedIn) and emails you sent in operation of your public relations job are therefore in the public domain.
I look forward to further discussions on this issue via the ICO (copied into this email).
In the spirit of public transparency I have included this information in a publicly posted blog and via Twitter:
From: Don Staniford<salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com> Date: Thu, Feb 18, 2021 at 9:05 AM Subject: Addendum: Request for removal of photos To: Lesley Rice <lesley.rice@scottishseafarms.com> Cc: ICO Casework <icocasework@ico.org.uk>
Lesley,
Further to my email of yesterday (I have once again copied in the ICO), it has been brought to my attention that your photo appears publicly in several other public media.
Your LinkedIn profile provides details of your previous employment via Lesley Dougall Copywriting:
A public post by Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots via Facebook in May 2020 also provides your contact details as the public face of Scottish Sea Farms: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3116002661794366
As the public face of Scottish Sea Farms, I fully appreciate that your job is a difficult one and that defending rampant welfare abuse, the slaughter of seals, the use of toxic chemicals and destruction of nature must take its toll. However, your job involves public engagement (including Twitter).
"There has been a tendency recently for fish farm companies to claim rights that they simply do not have" @ewangkennedy "Data Protection legislation has also been used recently to threaten someone taking drone footage" https://t.co/F8dSIvT3Mn@scotseafarms@LeroySeafood
The footage is appalling. What shameful behaviour by the employees of the company in question. What are you doing about this supplier of yours @waitrose@coopuk? https://t.co/klDClrY8TY
Hi Joanna - this footage is hugely upsetting and does not represent the standards we expect in our supply chain. We're investigating this urgently and are conducting a physical audit at the site in the coming days, and have stopped supply from the site while we do. - Dean
🔵BREAKING: Undercover footage from Animal Equality shows fish left to suffocate, repeatedly clubbed and having their gills cut while fully conscious at a Scottish salmon slaughterhouse.https://t.co/3qJQajad6D
Greedy salmon farmers call for financial compensation for fish lost to seal attacks - what about recompense to the marine environment for killing off nature? https://t.co/QXYmoWREMJ
"Last-resort", they croak! When in reality it is nothing like, the bullet being the cheapest method. Now we need to observe the salmon industry looking for loopholes... compensation for lack of management should NOT be one of them! https://t.co/4TAMolL4or
Moves by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to help the #salmon farming industry cope with #Brexit business losses are a "dereliction of duty", say campaigners.https://t.co/IoVSkN0pn5