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February 2021

02/27/2021

Scottish Salmon's #1 Seal Killer - Norway's 'Scottish' Sea Farms Named & Shamed!

Sign #5 SSF

 

 

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.

 

SSF blog #1

 

SSF blog #6

 

SSF blog #7

 

Read more via: Data Analysis - Lethal Scottish Salmon: the Norwegian-owned companies killing seals in Scotland! (1,000+ seals slaughtered since 2011)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

SSF blog #5

 

 

Scottish Sea Farms supplies Marks & Spencers with 'Lochmuir' salmon.

M&S Group

 

M&S Elsie

 

 

 

 

The Herald reported in October 2015:

 

SSF blog #3

 

 

The Independent reported in September 2015:

 

SSF blog #4

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

 

SSF blog #2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at 08:41 AM |

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02/26/2021

Official Data: 1,000+ seals killed by salmon farms since 2011!

 

 

 

 

Data Analysis of 1000 Seals Killed by Salmon Farms (2011 to 2020) #1

 

Download PDF in full via: Data Analysis - Lethal Scottish Salmon: the Norwegian-owned companies killing seals in Scotland! (1,000+ seals slaughtered since 2011)

 

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #7 Mowi whistleblower

 

 

 

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #13 Dunvegan dead harbour seal

 

 

 

 

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #14 Marksmen redacted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Read more via:

 

 

3 pack seals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at 04:03 AM |

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02/25/2021

The Ferret: "Salmon companies rapped for breaking rules on shooting seals"

 

 

 

 

The Ferret reported (25 February 2021):

 

Ferret 25 Feb 2021 #1

 

Ferret 25 Feb 2021 #2

 

Ferret 25 Feb 2021 #3

 

Ferret 25 Feb 2021 #4

 

Ferret 25 Feb 2021 #5

Ferret 25 Feb 2021 #6

 

Ferret 25 Feb 2021 #7

 

Ferret 25 Feb 2021 #8

 

Ferret 25 Feb 2021 #9

 

Ferret 25 Feb 2021 #10

 

Ferret 25 Feb 2021 #11

Read Ferret article - including access to the FOI documents disclosed by the Scottish Government - online here

 

 

 

 

 

More like this from The Ferret:

 

 

 

Read more from Scottish Salmon Watch via:

 

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #1

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #2

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #3

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #4

Posted at 08:49 AM |

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Caught in the Cross-Hairs: Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms!

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 21 Feb 2021 #1

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 21 Feb 2021 #2

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 21 Feb 2021 #3

 

 

 

 

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 21 Feb 2021 #4

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 21 Feb 2021 #5

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 21 Feb 2021 #6

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #7 Mowi whistleblower

 

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #8 Don quote

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #9 Don quote

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #10 Don quote

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #11 John quote

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #12 John quote

 

Download press release with Notes to Editors in full online here

 

 

Photos disclosed by the Scottish Government on 1 February 2021 (via FOI-202000118346):

Juvenile seal killed illegally - without a marine licence - by Mowi in Loch Ewe in January 2020 (case reported in February 2020 to Police Scotland's Wildlife Crime Unit - FOI request filed by Scottish Salmon Watch in February 2021 for further details):

 

Photo Mowi dead seal Loch Ewe Jan 2020 #1

Download PDF via #46 Photo of Mowi Loch Ewe seal killed

 

Photo Mowi dead seal Loch Ewe Jan 2020 #2

Download PDF via #48 Photo of Mowi Loch Ewe seal killed flipper wound

 

Photo Mowi dead seal Loch Ewe Jan 2020 #3

Download via  #41 Photo Mowi Loch Ewe dead seal flipper

 

Photo Mowi dead seal Loch Ewe Jan 2020 #4

Download via #42 Photo Mowi Loch Ewe dead seal flipper close up

 

 

 

 

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #13 Dunvegan dead harbour seal

 

 

PR Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms 25 Feb 2021 #14 Marksmen redacted

 

Data Analysis of 1000 Seals Killed by Salmon Farms (2011 to 2020) #1

 

Read more via: Media Backgrounder: FOI Opens Sealed Documents on Killing by Salmon Farms

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

 

 

3 pack seals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at 08:42 AM |

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FOI opens sealed documents on killing by salmon farms

Media Backgrounder FOI Opens Sealed Documents on Killing by Salmon Farms Feb 2021 #1

Media Backgrounder FOI Opens Sealed Documents on Killing by Salmon Farms Feb 2021 #2

 

Media Backgrounder FOI Opens Sealed Documents on Killing by Salmon Farms Feb 2021 #3

 

Media Backgrounder FOI Opens Sealed Documents on Killing by Salmon Farms Feb 2021 #4

 

Media Backgrounder FOI Opens Sealed Documents on Killing by Salmon Farms Feb 2021 #5

 

Media Backgrounder FOI Opens Sealed Documents on Killing by Salmon Farms Feb 2021 #6

 

Media Backgrounder FOI Opens Sealed Documents on Killing by Salmon Farms Feb 2021 #7

 

Media Backgrounder FOI Opens Sealed Documents on Killing by Salmon Farms Feb 2021 #8

 

Download in full via:

Media Backgrounder: FOI Opens Sealed Documents on Killing by Salmon Farms (February 2021)

 

Read FOI reply letter dated 1 February 2021:

Letter from the Scottish Government to Scottish Salmon Watch dated 1 February 2021 (FOI-202000118346)

 

 

Read more via:

Data Analysis of 1,000 Seals Killed by Salmon Farms (2011 to 2020) (February 2021)

 

Download Excel spreadsheet detailing over 1,000 seals killed by salmon farms since 2011 (as officially reported by the Scottish Government):

2020 to 2011 data analysed Feb 2021 (1,010 seals killed)

 

 

Download FOI documents disclosed on 1 February by the Scottish Government online via:

#1 Cooke Seal Licence

#2 Scottish Sea Farms Seal Licence

#3 Cooke Seal Licence

#6 Mowi Seal Licence

#8 The Scottish Salmon Company Seal Licence

#14 Loch Duart Seal Licence

#16 Mowi Seal Licence

#23 Kames Seal Licence

#24 Scottish Sea Farms Seal Licence

#31 NWSMG Seal Licence

#32 Grieg Seal Licence Skye

#39 not particularly good at providing photos

#41 Photo Mowi Loch Ewe dead seal flipper

#42 Photo Mowi Loch Ewe dead seal flipper close up

#43 Police Scotland Wildlife Crime Unit Mowi Loch Ewe seal killed without licence

#44 Police Scotland Wildlife Crime Unit Mowi Loch Ewe seal killed without licence

#46 Photo of Mowi Loch Ewe seal killed

#48 Photo of Mowi Loch Ewe seal killed flipper wound

#55 Scottish Sea Farms outwith their licence 14 Jan 2021

#59 Mowi misdemeanours will not be actioned April 2020

#60 Mowi warning letter May 2020

#66 The Scottish Salmon Company Seal something amiss in Loch Roag

#70 Mowi emails on Carradale

#71 Mowi Seal Licence Carradale

#73 never heard of a recovery of a dead seal

 

 

 

 

Appendix:

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.
 
This information would certainly include any forms or data relating to seals killed to alleviate suffering as detailed via https://www.gov.scot/publications/marine-licensing-seals-killed-to-alleviate-suffering/
 
 
image.png

 
In terms of data available, Scottish Salmon Watch cannot find any data online for 2020.
 
 
image.png
 
image.png
 
The Scottish Government 'Progress Report' (28 September 2020) also stated:
 
image.png
 
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.  
 
Seal licence returns are available online for 2011 to 2019 via https://www.gov.scot/publications/marine-licensing-seal-license-returns-2011-18/
 
 
image.png

 
 
image.png
 
The data for 2020 reported by OneKind and The Ferret in June 2020 appears to have vanished:
 
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:
 
From:
Date: Thu, Oct 8, 2020 at 5:11 PM
Subject: Seal shooting
To: dstaniford@gaaia.org <dstaniford@gaaia.org>

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.

 

Download letter as a PDF online here

 

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:
 
image.png
 
 
 
An email obtained via FOI from the Scottish Government on 1 February 2021 (FOI-202000118346) detailed:
 
image.png

image.png
 
 
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):
 
image.png
 
image.png

 
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:
 
image.png
 
image.png
 
 
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:
 
image.png
 
Nine nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Cooke Aquaculture:
 
image.png
 
 
 
Four nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Mowi:
 
image.png
 
 
 
Six nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for The Scottish Salmon Company:
 
image.png
 
 
 
 
Three nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Loch Duart:
 
image.png
 
 
Eight nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Mowi (in relation to other sites);
 
image.png
 
 
 
Five nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland to Kames:
 
image.png
 
 
 
Six nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Scottish Sea Farms (other sites named):
 
image.png
 
 
 
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:
 
image.png
 
 
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.  
 
Scottish Salmon Watch strongly belives that naming the marksmen is a public interest issue.  In fact, back in 2012 an article in The Scotsman newspaper featured a marksman who killed seals on behalf of salmon farms: https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/seal-killing-vital-part-preserving-scottish-salmon-1640353
 
 
 
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.
 
Here's the relevant emails:
 
image.png
 
 
 
 
image.png
 
 
 
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:
 
image.png
 
 
Nine nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Cooke Aquaculture:
 
image.png
 
 
 
 
Four nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Mowi:
 
image.png
 
 
 
Six nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for The Scottish Salmon Company:
 
image.png
 
 
 
 
 
Three nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Loch Duart:
 
image.png
 
 
 
Eight nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Mowi (in relation to other sites);
 
image.png
 
 
 
Five nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland to Kames:
 
image.png
 
 
 
 
Six nominated marksmen issued by Police Scotland for Scottish Sea Farms (other sites named):
 
image.png
 
 
 
 
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:
 
image.png
 
 
 
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.  
 
Scottish Salmon Watch strongly believes that naming the marksmen is a public interest issue.  In fact, back in 2012 an article in The Scotsman newspaper featured a marksman who killed seals on behalf of salmon farms: https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/seal-killing-vital-part-preserving-scottish-salmon-1640353 .
 
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:
 
image.png
 
image.png
image.png
 
 
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:
 
image.png



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:
 
image.png

 
 
Scottish Salmon Watch believes this report - and any other correspondence not already disclosed - should have been disclosed via FOI-2020-00118346.
 
 
FOI-2020-00118346 also included a letter sent by Marine Scotland to Scottish Sea Farms in Shetland dated 14 January 2021 - including:
 
image.png
 
 
 
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:
 
 
image.png
image.png
 
 
 
Finally, please also include any reaction and reference to the reward offered by Animal Concern - as reported by The Ferret earlier this month via: £5,000 reward offered for information on illegal shooting of seals
 
 
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

Address: Marine Laboratory - 375 Victoria Road - Aberdeen - AB11 9DB 

Direct Line: Temporarily n/a - General Queries: Temporarily n/a 

Email: kate.webb@gov.scot - ms.marinelicensing@gov.scot

Web: https://www.gov.scot/policies/marine-and-fisheries-licensing/

 

 

 

 

---------- 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>



Dear Mr Staniford,

 

This email is to confirm that the seal licence missing return data for Q4 2019 has now been published on our website and is now available at the following web link: Marine licensing: seal licence returns 2011-2019 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

I would like to apologise for any inconvenience.

Kind regards,

Kate Webb

Business Casework Officer – Business and Operational Delivery

Licensing Operations Team - Marine Planning & Policy - Marine Scotland - Scottish Government

Address: Marine Laboratory - 375 Victoria Road - Aberdeen - AB11 9DB 

Direct Line: Temporarily n/a - General Queries: Temporarily n/a 

Email: kate.webb@gov.scot - ms.marinelicensing@gov.scot

Web: https://www.gov.scot/policies/marine-and-fisheries-licensing/

Posted at 07:22 AM |

|

02/24/2021

Nasty Neonicotinoid Plagues Salmon Farming in 2021

 



 

When the European Union announced a ban on neonicotinoids - including Imidacloprid - in 2018 you would be forgiven for thinking that the net was closing on their use in terrestrial agriculture and that their use in salmon farming was just another nasty nightmare. 

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #1

 

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #2

 

 

Three years later, however, and the use of neonicotinoids in farming - including the spectre of salmon farming - is a toxic reality with the alarming prospect of the floodgates being opened to the use of Imidacloprid by salmon farms in Norway, Canada, Chile and Scotland during 2021. 

 

 

 

The story of how the toxic neonicotinoid Imidacloprid is being deployed in salmon farming with field trials already taking place in Norway, patents filed in Canada and secret trials probably conducted already in Scotland (perhaps as early as 2013 at Benchmark's Ardtoe marine laboratory) is a horrible history to make your flesh crawl.  

 

 

 

 

How powerful corporate interests have lobbied against a ban on neonicotinoids could have been lifted straight out of Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring' (60 years old next year).  In the context of salmon farming, how the Norwegian-owned Benchmark (controlled by Tobacco billionaire Johan Andresen) could be an epilogue to 2004's 'Silent Spring of the Sea'. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In June 2020, Farmers Weekly reported:

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #3

 

 

Greenpeace reported in July 2020 (also reported by The Daily Telegraph):

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #4

 

 

Last month, The Guardian reported:

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #5

 

The Guardian reported in November 2020:

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #7

 

 

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:

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #6

 

 

And so we get to the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming which is so secret it was originally known as D10 Aquatic Blast when it was first publicly pitched by patent holders in 2014:

 

 

 

When Norwegian-owned company Benchmark unveiled Imidacloprid to the salmon farming sector in 2017 it was branded as 'Ectosan'.

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #8

 

 

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.

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #12

 

 

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. 

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #9

 

 

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. 

 

 

 

 

Even when Scottish Salmon Watch filed an appeal with the Scottish Information Commissioner in February 2020 seeking to overturn SEPA's refusal to disclose information we did not know that Imidacloprid was the chemical in question.

 

 

 

 

 

The big reveal only occurred on 17 March 2020 after Scottish Salmon Watch received a tip-off prompting the revelation via The Ferret.

 

 

 

 

 

On 20 March 2020, Benchmark publicly revealed for the first time that BMK08 was in fact Imidacloprid.

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #10

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #11

 

In May 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch revealed that Norwegian salmon giant Mowi had lobbied SEPA to support a field trial of Imidacloprid in Loch Ailort.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sunday Times reported in June 2020:

 

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #1

 

 

 

The Scottish salmon farming lobby denied the use of Imidacloprid.

 

 

 

 

 

In June 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch solicited scientific support for a ban on the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming and shared a scientific dossier - "Imidacloprid - A Neonicotinoid Insecticide Toxic to Aquatic Life" - detailing environmental impacts of Imidacloprid on aquatic ecosystems.

 

Imidacloprid scientific titles #1Imidacloprid scientific titles #2

 

 

 

 

 

The scientific dossier included a peer-reviewed scientific paper published in the prestigious Science magazine in November 2019.

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #13

 

Hakai magazine reported in May 2020:

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #14 Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #15

 

 

 

In June 2020, SEPA repeated their refusal to disclose documents on BMK08/Imidacloprid citing commercial confidentiality admitting that they "have not conducted any modelling of environmental impacts or ecological risk assessments of Imidacloprid use in salmon farming".

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst SEPA and the Scottish Government stone-wall attempts to secure information, Scottish Salmon Watch unearthed patent information on the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming.

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch revealed in June 2020 how Benchmark-owned Fish Vet Group (based in Inverness) filed a patent in Norway in 2011. 

 

Imidacloprid Norwegian Patent 2011

Imidacloprid Norwegian Patent 2011 in full

 

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.

 

Imidacloprid Canadian Patent CA3045239A1 #1

Imidacloprid Canadian Patent CA3045239A1 #2

Imidacloprid Canadian Patent CA3045239A1 #3

Imidacloprid Canadian Patent CA3045239A1 #4

 

 

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. 

 

John Marshall bio #2 SP meeting with Fergus Sept 2018 John Marshall bio #3 SP meeting with Fergus Sept 2018

John Marshall bio #4 SP meeting with Fergus Sept 2018

John Marshall bio #1

John Marshall bio #5 SP meeting with Fergus Sept 2018

 

 

An Editorial by Professor Dave Goulson of the University of Sussex published in British Wildlife magazine in August 2020 warned against the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming:

 

British Wildlife August 2020 #1

British Wildlife August 2020 #2

British Wildlife August 2020 #3

British Wildlife August 2020 #4

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch visited the FAI Aquaculture Marine Laboratory in Ardtoe in August 2020 - the Benchmark-owned facility which developed their CleanTreat system "over a 10 year period":

 

 



 

 

In September 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch wrote to the Scottish Government and SEPA questioning whether Imidacloprid had been secretly and illegally used at Benchmark's marine laboratory at Ardtoe on the West coast of Scotland. 

 

 

 

 

 

Fish Farmer magazine reported in February 2020 (when Benchmark was still hiding the fact that BMK08/Ectosan was the neonicotinoid Imidacloprid - Benchmark only publicly admitted this toxic truth on 20 March 2020 after Scottish Salmon Watch and The Ferret blew the whistle on 17 March 2020):

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #1

 

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #2

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #3

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #4

 

 

Meanwhile it seems the floodgates are being opened up to use Imidacloprid across Europe and in Chile.   Fish Farming Expert reported (10 September 2020):

 

EMEA Imidacloprid approval Sept 2020 #1

 

EMEA Imidacloprid approval Sept 2020 #2

EMEA Imidacloprid approval Sept 2020 #3

EMEA Imidacloprid approval Sept 2020 #4

 

 

Here's the EMEA statement (11 September 2020):

 

EMEA Imidacloprid approval 11 Sept 2020 #1

EMEA Imidacloprid approval 11 Sept 2020 #2

 

 

Benchmark reported in July 2020:

 

Benchmark Chile Purisan BMK08 1 July 2020 #1

Benchmark Chile Purisan BMK08 1 July 2020 #2

 

 

 

 

 

Benchmark reported earlier this week via their Q1 2021 financial report that Imidacloprid would be launched in salmon farming during Q2 2021 "subject to regulatory approvals".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The use of Imidacloprid appears to have already been approved by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) who let slip that Ectosan (BMK08) was Imidacloprid via an 'Interpretation Request' from Norwegian salmon giant Mowi. 

 

 

 

 

Even though the ASC has now expunged all reference to the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming from their web-site, we do know which salmon farms are certified via the ASC. 

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #16

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #19

Fish Farming Expert reported in March 2020 on the now deleted ASC 'Interpretation Request' filed by Mowi Norway in May 2019. 

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #20

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #21

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported in May 2020:

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #22

 

 

As of today (24 February 2021) there are 419 salmon farms around the world certified via the ASC. 

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #17

 

 

These include eight salmon farms - all operated by Norwegian giant Mowi - in Scotland:

 

Blog Imidacloprid Feb 2021 #18

 

 

 

 

Nearly a year since Scottish Salmon Watch filed an appeal with the Scottish Information Commissioner against SEPA's refusal to disclose information we may soon find out more details on the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming in Scotland.  

 

Clean Treat blog #3

 

Top Secret Salmon

 

Read more via:

 

 

Imidacloprid Horrible History June 2020 #1

Imidacloprid Horrible History June 2020 #2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at 08:05 AM |

|

02/23/2021

Pulling the Plug on ADD on salmon farms - is turning down the volume enough to comply with the law?

 

 

 

On Saturday evening (20 February 2021), the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation issued a surprising press release:

 

SSPO EPS 20 Feb 2021 #1

SSPO EPS 20 Feb 2021 #2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation stated in June 2020:

 

SSPO on ADDs & Seals June 2020 #1

 

Here's a statement (undated) on ADDs from the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation:

 

SSPO on ADDs #1

 

SSPO on ADDs #2

SSPO on ADDs #3 OTAQ

 

SSPO on ADDs #4

 

 

In July 2020, the SSPO issued announced a review of ADD use on salmon farms:

 

SSPO on ADD review July 2020 #1

SSPO on ADD review July 2020 #2

SSPO on ADD review July 2020 #3

 

 

Fish Farmer magazine reported in March 2020:

 

Fish Farmer 25 March 2020 ASC seal scarer #2

 

 

The web-page of GenusWave claimed in June 2020:

 

GenusWave website re US MMPA compliance #1 GenusWave website re US MMPA compliance #2

 

The above web-page no longer exists (as of 22 February 2021):

 

GenusWave website re US MMPA compliance #3 error Feb 2021

 

 

GenusWave still claim on their new web-site that it is "MMPA compliant":

 

Genuswave website Feb 2021 MMPA Compliant #1

Genuswave website Feb 2021 MMPA Compliant #2

Genuswave website Feb 2021 MMPA Compliant #3

Genuswave website Feb 2021 MMPA Compliant #4

 

 

The Times reported in 2013 that salmon farmers in Scotland had baulked at the cost of trialling GenusWave:

 

GenusWave Times March 2013 #1

GenusWave Times March 2013 #2

GenusWave Times March 2013 #3

 

 

 

 

According to documents filed at Companies House, GenusWave is owned by the American investor Steven Alveny (95% shares) and German university reader Vincent Janik of the University of St. Andrews (5% shares):

 

GenusWave shareholders Alevy & Janik

 

 

Vincent Janik is a professor at the University of St. Andrews and Director of the Scottish Oceans Institute whilst Steven Alveny is listed via LinkedIn as Managing Director at Bankers Capital. 

 

GenusWave Steven Alevy

GenusWave Janik

 

Here's the latest list of shareholders for Genuswave (as published via Companies House in 2016):

 

GenusWave shareholders 2015 return #1

 

GenusWave shareholders 2015 return #2

 

GenusWave shareholders 2015 return #3

 

GenusWave shareholders 2015 return #4

 

The University of St. Andrews web-site states:

 

GenusWave Uni of St Andrews spinout company

 

 

Fish Farmer reported in April 2020:

 

Genuswave April 2020 Fish farmer #1

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in June 2020:

 

PR Caught Between the Devil & Deep Blue Sea 17 June 2020 #1

PR Caught Between the Devil & Deep Blue Sea 17 June 2020 #2

PR Caught Between the Devil & Deep Blue Sea 17 June 2020 #3

PR Caught Between the Devil & Deep Blue Sea 17 June 2020 #4

PR Caught Between the Devil & Deep Blue Sea 17 June 2020 #5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch's press release in June 2020 cited:

 

Genuswave MMPA compliance #1

 

Genuswave MMPA compliance #2

 

Genuswave MMPA compliance #3

 

 

Documents disclosed by the Scottish Government via FOI in October 2020 reveal that the majority shareholder of GenusWave met with the Scottish Government in October and December 2019 (although his name was mis-spelled Alvey not Alevy).

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 Alevy meeting in 2019 with Fergus Ewing #1

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 Alevy meeting in 2019 with Fergus Ewing #2

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 Alevy meeting in 2019 with Fergus Ewing #3

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 Alevy meeting in 2019 with Fergus Ewing #4

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 Alevy meeting in 2019 with Fergus Ewing #7

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 Alevy meeting in 2019 with Fergus Ewing #5

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 Alevy meeting in 2019 with Fergus Ewing #6

 

 

The FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government in October 2020 also included an undated letter from the US Government to the Scottish Government which referred to ADDs:

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 NOAA letter to SG Intro

 

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 NOAA letter to SG #ADD

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 NOAA letter to SG #ADD #2

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 NOAA letter to SG #ADD #3

 

The undated letter from the US Government was in response to this letter from the Scottish Government dated 7 January 2020:

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 SG letter to NOAA 7 Jan 2020 #1

 

Including:

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 SG letter to NOAA 7 Jan 2020 #2

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 SG letter to NOAA 7 Jan 2020 #3

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 SG letter to NOAA 7 Jan 2020 #4

 

Read the letter in full and other documents disclosed via FOI by the Scottish Government in October 2020 online here

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Oban Times reported earlier this week (22 February 2021) that the pressure is building to turn ADDs off completely:

 

Oban Times ADD u turn petition 22 Feb 2021 #1

Oban Times ADD u turn petition 22 Feb 2021 #2

Oban Times ADD u turn petition 22 Feb 2021 #3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addendum:

 

FOI ADDs SG Dec 2020 #1 FOI ADDs SG Dec 2020 #2
FOI ADDs SG Dec 2020 #3
FOI ADDs SG Dec 2020 #4
FOI ADDs SG Dec 2020 #5

 

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 #1

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 #2

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 #3

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 #4

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 #5

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 #6

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 #7

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 #8

 

FOI SG MMPA 29 Oct 2020 #9

 

 

FOI SG seal deterrents Feb 2019 #1 FOI SG seal deterrents Feb 2019 #2
FOI SG seal deterrents Feb 2019 #3
FOI SG seal deterrents Feb 2019 #4

Posted at 01:06 PM |

|

02/22/2021

Toxic Neonicotinoid "Close to Commercial Launch" in Salmon Farming!

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported (22 February 2021):

 

Imidacloprid Close to Commercial Launch 22 Feb 2021

Imidacloprid Close to Commercial Launch 22 Feb 2021 #2

Imidacloprid Close to Commercial Launch 22 Feb 2021 #3

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Download Benchmark's Q1 2021 financial report online here

 

Benchmark Q1 2021 #2

 

Benchmark Q1 2021 #3 BMK08 launch in Q2 2021

 

Benchmark Q1 2021 #4 BMK08 launch in Q2 2021

 

Benchmark Q1 2021 #5 BMK08 launch subject to regulatory approvals

 

 



 

 

In March 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch revealed that BMK08 (formerly known as Ectosan) was the toxic neonicotinoid insecticide Imidacloprid (banned for use in terrestrial agriculture in 2018 - although a loophole has led to widespread 'emergency' use).

 

 

 

 

 

An Editorial by Professor Dave Goulson of the University of Sussex published in British Wildlife magazine in August 2020 warned against the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming:

 

British Wildlife August 2020 #1

British Wildlife August 2020 #2

British Wildlife August 2020 #3

British Wildlife August 2020 #4

 

 

 

 

 

The Sunday Times reported in June 2020:

 

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #1

 

 

 

 

 

In June 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch solicited scientific support for a ban on the use of Imidacloprid in salmon farming and shared a scientific dossier - "Imidacloprid - A Neonicotinoid Insecticide Toxic to Aquatic Life" - detailing environmental impacts of Imidacloprid on aquatic ecosystems.

 

Imidacloprid scientific titles #1Imidacloprid scientific titles #2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In July 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch visited Mowi's salmon farm at Ardnish in Loch Ailort where the Scottish Environment Protection Agency was asked in March 2020 to support a field trial of Imidacloprid.

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch visited the FAI Aquaculture Marine Laboratory in Ardtoe in August 2020 - the Benchmark-owned facility which developed their CleanTreat system "over a 10 year period" :

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fish Farmer magazine reported in February 2020 (when Benchmark was still hiding the fact that BMK08/Ectosan was the neonicotinoid Imidacloprid - Benchmark only publicly admitted this toxic truth on 20 March 2020 after Scottish Salmon Watch and The Ferret blew the whistle on 17 March 2020):

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #1

 

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #2

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #3

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #4

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported (10 September 2020):

 

EMEA Imidacloprid approval Sept 2020 #1

 

EMEA Imidacloprid approval Sept 2020 #2

EMEA Imidacloprid approval Sept 2020 #3

EMEA Imidacloprid approval Sept 2020 #4

 

 

 

Here's the EMEA statement (11 September 2020):

 

EMEA Imidacloprid approval 11 Sept 2020 #1

EMEA Imidacloprid approval 11 Sept 2020 #2

 

 

In May 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch revealed that Mowi had lobbied the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to support a field trial of Imidacloprid in Loch Ailort.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Read more via:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at 12:48 PM |

|

02/21/2021

Sunday Times: "Animal welfare campaigners sound out ban on acoustic seal deterrent"

 



 

The Sunday Times reported (21 February 2021):

 

Sunday Times 21 Feb 2021 #1

Sunday Times 21 Feb 2021 #2

 

Sunday Times 21 Feb 2021 #3

Sunday Times 21 Feb 2021 #4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday evening (20 February 2021), the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation issued a press release (presumably because they knew the Sunday Times article was coming):

 

SSPO EPS 20 Feb 2021 #1

 

SSPO EPS 20 Feb 2021 #2

 

 

 

 

 

The SSPO's statement prompted a flurry of Tweets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Oban Times reported (22 February 2021):

 

Oban Times ADD u turn petition 22 Feb 2021 #1

Oban Times ADD u turn petition 22 Feb 2021 #2

Oban Times ADD u turn petition 22 Feb 2021 #3

 

 

 

 



 

 

Read more via:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at 06:01 AM |

|

02/17/2021

Faceless PR Flunkey for Norwegian Salmon Giant Seeks Removal of Photo & Emails with Information Commissioner

 



 

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.uk twitter.com/iconews

 

 

ICO complaint from Lesley Rice 16 Feb 2021 #1

ICO complaint from Lesley Rice 16 Feb 2021 #2

ICO complaint from Lesley Rice 16 Feb 2021 #3

ICO complaint from Lesley Rice 16 Feb 2021 #4

 

ICO complaint from Lesley Rice 16 Feb 2021 #5

 

Lesley Rice email Jan 2021

 

 

 

Lesley Rice's LinkedIn profile now has her photo deleted:

 

Lesley Rice Linked In Feb 2021

 

 

In November 2020, Lesley Rice's LinkedIn profile displayed her photo:

 

Lesley Rice Linked In

 

 

Lesley wrote in November 2020:

 

Lesley Rice blog 5 Nov 2020 #13

 

 

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:
 
 
 
 
I am sure that you do not like Scottish Sea Farms appearing in Private Eye magazine - as Andrew Neil presumably did not like appearing on a weekly basis in his vest - but it is surely part and parcel of your public relations job:
 
 
 
 
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.
 
For example:
 
https://theferret.scot/salmon-firms-diseased-fish-photos/
 
 
 
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:
 
https://donstaniford.typepad.com/files/report-scottish-scamon-feb-2019-2-scottish-sea-farms.pdf
 
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:
 
Thanks,
 
Don

 

 

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.
 
For example, on your Instagram profile online via https://www.instagram.com/lesleyrice_/
 
 
 
image.png
 
 
image.png

 
And via a 2019 article published via Fish Farming Expert online via https://www.fishfarmingexpert.com/article/selling-scottish-seafood-to-the-world/
 
image.png

 
 
And your face features in a January 2018 issue of International Aqua Feed - a magazine published globally and online via https://issuu.com/international_aquafeed/docs/iaf1801_w1/66
 
 
image.png

 
Your LinkedIn profile provides details of your previous employment via Lesley Dougall Copywriting:
 
image.png
 
 
 
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
 
image.png
 
image.png
 
 
 
Email correspondence and letters were also cited in a blog post in August 2019 via https://donstaniford.typepad.com/my-blog/2019/08/dont-stress-our-fish-campaigners-told.html
 
And via a Media Backgrounder in August 2019:
 
image.png
 
 
 
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).
 
 
 
image.png

 
Thanks,
 
Don

 

 

 

 

Scottish Sea Farms is not new to threats over the publication of photos - in 2018 their lawyers threatened legal action following a Freedom of Information request by Scottish Salmon Watch relating to photos of disease-ridden salmon.   The Ferret reported in August 2018:

 

Lesley Rice blog 5 Nov 2020 #1

 

The Ferret article included:

 


Lesley Rice blog 5 Nov 2020 #2

Read more via "Photo Dossier of Diseased, Deformed & Abused Scottish Salmon"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following another Freedom of Information request from Scottish Salmon Watch, the Scottish Government published further photos of diseased salmon at Scottish Sea Farms in October 2018.

 

Lesley Rice blog 5 Nov 2020 #3

Lesley Rice blog 5 Nov 2020 #4

 

Here's some close ups of the gruesome photos which lawyers representing Scottish Sea Farms argued would expose the company to "reputational damage":

 

FOI photo disclosure Sept 2018 #1

FOI photo disclosure Sept 2018 #3

FOI photo disclosure Sept 2018 #2

FOI photo disclosure Sept 2018 #4

FOI photo disclosure Sept 2018 #5

FOI photo disclosure Sept 2018 #6

FOI photo disclosure Sept 2018 #7

 

Read more via "EXPOSED: Photo Disclosures Opens Floodgates to More Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon"

 

 

 

Given the horrors promoted by Scottish Sea Farms, it is no wonder Lesley Rice is reluctant to show her face publicly.

 

Lesley Rice Linked In Feb 2021 no photo

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at 10:49 AM |

|

02/14/2021

Animal Equality Exposes Scottish Salmon Slaughterhouse

 

 

 

Animal Equality reported (13 February 2021):

 

Animal Equality Feb 2021 #1

Animal Equality Feb 2021 #2

 

Animal Equality Feb 2021 #5

 

 

Animal Equality Feb 2021 #3

 

Animal Equality Feb 2021 #4

 

Read more online here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at 01:58 PM |

|

02/13/2021

The Times: "Waitrose salmon supplier Scottish Salmon Company ‘let fish die on the floor’"

 

 

 

 

The Times reported (13 February 2021):

 

Times SSC video Animal Equality 13 Feb 2021 #1

 

Read article in full online here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch video report online here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Stornoway Gazette reported (13 February 2021):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via: Animal Equality Exposes Scottish Salmon Slaughterhouse

 

 

 

Intensively farmed Scottish salmon for sale in major UK supermarkets are infested with flesh-eating sea lice, Viva! has revealed.

Posted by Animal Equality UK on Monday, November 23, 2020

 

Posted at 01:59 PM |

|

02/12/2021

Greedy Salmon Farmers Demand £13 Million Compensation for Seal Attacks!

 

 

 

Here's a press release issued by the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (18 February 2021):

 

SSPO PR on £13 m Compensation 18 Feb 2021 #1

 

SSPO PR on £13 m Compensation 18 Feb 2021 #2

 

SSPO PR on £13 m Compensation 18 Feb 2021 #3

 

SSPO PR on £13 m Compensation 18 Feb 2021 #4

 

SSPO PR on £13 m Compensation 18 Feb 2021 #5

 

SSPO PR on £13 m Compensation 18 Feb 2021 #6

 

SSPO PR on £13 m Compensation 18 Feb 2021 #7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

 

 

$s

 

 

 

 

Posted at 08:11 AM |

|

02/08/2021

New data on mass mortalities - online now!

 

 

 

Download mass mortality data up to the end of December 2020 online here

 

Feb 7 2021 publication up to end of Dec 2020 #8

 

 

Here's the top 40 'Mortality Event Reports' in November and December 2020:

 

Feb 7 2021 publication up to end of Dec 2020 #1

Feb 7 2021 publication up to end of Dec 2020 #2

 

Feb 7 2021 publication up to end of Dec 2020 #3

 

Feb 7 2021 publication up to end of Dec 2020 #7

 

 

Read more via:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at 02:04 PM |

|

02/03/2021

"Fish farm pollution rules relaxed for Brexit"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Fury as fish farm pesticide pollution rises 72% in a year

Under the Cloak of Coronavirus: SEPA open the floodgates to lobster-killing chemicals!

6 green rules that have been relaxed in response to Covid-19

The Ferret: "Environmental rules for salmon farming industry relaxed"

SEPA relax environmental controls during Coronavirus crisis

 

COVID position statement March 2020 Tweet

Rules relaxed for fish farmers due to Covid-19

2019 Salmon Farming Data Online Now!

Shame on SEPA the Laggard not Leader (even the sloths at SSPO are quicker at publishing data)!

ENDS Report: "Calls for greater transparency over ‘toxic’ new fish farm product"

Letter to SEPA: Please Come Clean on Imidacloprid!

Follow the Salmoney - the Norwegian tobacco billionaire behind the Neonicotinoid Imidacloprid

The Ferret: "Fish farm companies ‘bidding to use bee-harming pesticide’"

Revealed: Toxic Neonicotinoid Insecticide Used to 'CleanTreat' Lousy Salmon

Please Come Clean on BMK08!

Media Backgrounder: Chemically Embalmed Scottish Salmon

Sunday Times: "Official fears revealed over toxic threat of salmon trade"

Cleaning Tox-Sick Scottish Salmon

CleanTreat FOI Disclosures by the Scottish Government to Scottish Salmon Watch

The Sunday Times: "Chemical fears at Scots fish farms"

EXPOSED: Scottish Salmon's Cascading Use of Cancer-Causing Chemical

Salmon farming giant Mowi probed over chemical use

Leading fish farm watchdog joins fish farm industry

 

 

Fish farming industry bids to relax limits on toxic pesticide

All is Not Well With Sick Scottish Salmon

The Scottish Environment Pollution Agency

SEPA's Shame on Salmon Farming

Effects of pharmaceuticals used to treat salmon lice on non-target species: Evidence from a systematic review

Slicegate: Anatomy & Chronology of an Environmental Lobotomy - How the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency was Sliced to death by the Scottish Government and salmon farming lobby

How the Scottish Government ‘nuanced’ away fish farm pesticide ban

Pesticide report suppressed after freedom of information warning

Scottish Government under fire for helping block pesticide ban

Revealed: secret role of US drug company in fish farm pesticide row

Ban on polluting pesticide dropped after complaint from fish farmers

Mapped: the 45 lochs polluted by fish farm pesticides

The Sunday Times: "Salmon industry toxins soar by 1000 per cent"

Scottish Salmon's Lethal Legacy - Ten-fold Increase in Toxic Chemical Use in Ten Years

Scientific Backgrounder: Ecotoxicity & Chemical Resistance

Media Backgrounder: Scotland's 'Silent Spring' of the Sea

Daily Mail: "The toxic chemicals in farmed salmon straight from the loch"

Scottish Salmon Overdoses on Toxic Chemical

Posted at 01:50 PM |

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"£5,000 reward offered for information on illegal shooting of seals"

 

 

 

The Ferret reported (2 February 2021):

 

Ferret 2 Feb 2021 #1

 

Ferret 2 Feb 2021 #2

Ferret 2 Feb 2021 #3

Ferret 2 Feb 2021 #4

 

More like this from The Ferret:

 

 

 

Animal Concern issued a press release on 1 February 2021:

 

Animal Concern reward PR 1 Feb 2021 #1

Animal Concern reward PR 1 Feb 2021 #2

Animal Concern reward PR 1 Feb 2021 #3

 

Animal Concern reward PR 1 Feb 2021 #4

 

 

Read more via:

 

 

 

 

Posted at 09:40 AM |

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