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06/21/2021

Interferencia: "Salmon Farming - Norwegian company seeks to commercialize in Chile a pesticide banned by the EU for being 'very toxic' to aquatic life"

 

 

 

The Chilean newspaper Interferencia reported (18 June 2021):

 

Inteferencia Imidacloprid 18 June 2021 #1

 

Inteferencia Imidacloprid 18 June 2021 #2

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Here's a rough translation via Google:

 

CleanTreat: Salmon Farming

Norwegian company seeks to commercialize in Chile a pesticide banned by the EU for being "very toxic" for aquatic life

Diego Ortiz 06/18/2021

Benchmark came to the country in 2020 to commercialize CleanTreat, a system for treating sea lice in salmon that caused a scandal in Scotland.

Eight days ago, the European Parliament voted against the use of the pesticide imidacloprid in salmon farms, present in CleanTreat, as it has a “devastating” impact on biodiversity. In mid-2020, the medium specialized in the salmon industry, Salmon Expert, announced the arrival in Chile of the area specialized in animal treatments of Benchmark, a Norwegian company of genetic products. However, a year after its arrival, its main technological bet, its star product, CleanTreat -chemicals and water purification and filtration systems- has just suffered a serious blow.

On June 9, the European Parliament chose to vote against setting a maximum residue level for the substance imidacloprid, a pesticide used in CleanTreat's chemical BMK08. By 441 votes in favor and 232 against, the Chamber of the European Union decided to ban the use of the substance in salmon farms. Imidacloprid was listed by Parliament as "dangerous for the environment" and "very toxic to aquatic life, with long-term effects". (Check here the resolution of the European Parliament).

The resolution explains that "there is increasing evidence that the use of imidacloprid has devastating effects on biodiversity, particularly in rivers and waterways, affecting not only crustaceans, mollusks and non-target species (insects), but also also land organisms, in addition to causing a decline in bird populations. ”In addition, they add that its use in Japan“ caused a dramatic collapse of fish populations ”, one that has“ not yet recovered ”.

"The use of imidacloprid has devastating effects on biodiversity, particularly in rivers and waterways, affecting not only crustaceans, mollusks and non-target species (insects), but also land organisms, in addition to causing a decline in bird populations ”, says the European Parliament.

The use of imidacloprid had already been banned in agriculture by the European Union, since it destroys bee populations.

Marketing in Chile and scandal in Scotland

Europe's determination has no effect on the Chilean industry, and the pesticide may be approved in the country. That is Benchmark Animal Health Chile's plan, at least according to the interview given by its general manager, Javier Moya, to Salmon Expert on June 1, 2020, who has already begun to promote the product among salmon farms established in Chile.

"The simplification of the company will accelerate the delivery of much-needed solutions to the market, including its next-generation sea lice treatment, BMK08 and the new CleanTreat system," Moya told the specialized media.

INTERFERENCIA contacted Sernapesca to find out whether or not the use of imidacloprid in Chilean salmon farms has been approved. The entity referred the query to the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), responsible for authorizing or prohibiting the use of these substances.

According to information published by the international Fish Farmer media, BMK08 - which includes the pesticide imidacloprid - is applied to salmon in conjunction with the CleanTreat system, which acts as a purifier removing chemical residues from the water. But any leak could be catastrophic for the ecosystem.

In an interview with the British medium The Guardian, the professor of biology at the University of Sussex, Dave Goulson, explained that the chemicals used in BMK08 "are like novichok but for insects", a nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union cataloged as of the most deadly. "It takes a billionth of a gram to harm aquatic life, so even the smallest traces would have a huge impact on marine life," he said. (Check here the article Banned pesticide accused of killing bees can be approved for fish farms from The Guardian).

Goulson's words were published in the context of a political scandal in Scotland - a salmon-producing country, but not a member of the EU after the UK's Brexit - by a previous article in the investigative outlet The Ferret. Through the publication of emails obtained by the Scottish transparency law, British journalists revealed that the director of the agency in charge of supervising the fisheries, Annabel Turpie, lobbied for the approval of CleanTreat and the use of imidacloprid.

Specifically, The Ferret revealed a series of emails obtained through a transparency law by environmentalist Don Staniford, where Annabel Turpie, director of Marine Scotland - the Scottish government agency in charge of fisheries - explains that “we will help collaborate with SEPA (Environmental Protection Agency Scotland) and MSS (Marine Scotland Science) in CleanTreat technology ”. (Check out The Ferret's research here).

The Scottish regulatory authority emails acknowledging helping CleanTeach mention that such technology will be taken to an existing location "for approval".

According to a later article in The Guardian, in the emails Turpie claims to be "aware that the intention is for CleanTreat to be presented in the second half of the year, assuming regulatory approval", with an "expectation" that Benchmark, the company Norway, which arrived in Chile in 2020 and manufacturer of CleanTreat, will take the system to an existing site “for approval”. Later, the director of Marine Scotland indicated that the company's technology would receive a “welcome consideration”.

In conversation with INTERFERENCIA, Don Staniford, director of the Scottish Salmon Watch organization and who obtained the Turpie emails, described the lobbying exercised by the Scottish government representative as "shameful". "The director of Marine Scotland was caught lobbying not for the marine environment, but for the use of a dangerous neonicotinoid for Scottish waters."

The director of Scottish Salmon Watch and author of the book Silent Spring of the Sea explained that "Norwegian companies have been found guilty of importing the deadly salmon anemia to Chile", so he hopes that the Chilean government "can strongly oppose the use of imidacloprid and send it back to Norway ”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

La Izquierda reported (19 June 2021):

 

La Izquierda 19 June 2021 #1

 

La Izquierda 19 June 2021 #2

 

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Here's an English translation of the Interferencia article:

 

Inteferencia Imidacloprid 18 June 2021 English #1

 

Inteferencia Imidacloprid 18 June 2021 English #2

Inteferencia Imidacloprid 18 June 2021 English #3

 

Inteferencia Imidacloprid 18 June 2021 English #4

Inteferencia Imidacloprid 18 June 2021 English #5

Inteferencia Imidacloprid 18 June 2021 English #6

 

 

 

El Ciudadano reported (19 June 2021):

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch notified Scottish Ministers on the newspaper coverage in Chile:

 

From: Don Staniford <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, Jun 21, 2021 at 10:12 AM
Subject: "Shameful" Marine Scotland reports Chilean newspaper on use of banned neonicotinoid in Scottish salmon farming
To: <[email protected]>, Fergus Ewing <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, Gougeon M (Mairi), MSP <[email protected]>, MSP <[email protected]>, Forbes K (Kate), MSP <[email protected]>, MSP <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>
Cc: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, Ruskell M (Mark), MSP <[email protected]>, Beamish C (Claudia), MSP <[email protected]>, EnvironmentClimateChangeandLandReformcommittee <[email protected]>, Mountain E (Edward), MSP <[email protected]>, Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee <[email protected]>, Ahearn, Terry <[email protected]>, Pollard, Peter <[email protected]>, Media <[email protected]>
 
Please note that the Chilean newspaper reported on Friday (18 June 2021) on the Scottish Government's support for the use of the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid - dubbed 'Novichok for insects' - in salmon farming in Scotland:
 
 
The article in the newspaper Interferencia includes:
 
Annabel Turpie, directora de Marine Scotland – agencia gubernamental escocesa encargada de las pesqueras– explica que “ayudaremos a colaborar con SEPA (Agencia de Protección Ambiental de Escocia) y MSS (Marine Scotland Science) en la tecnología CleanTreat”.

Turpie asegura estar "consciente de que la intención es que CleanTreat se presente en la segunda mitad del año, asumiendo la aprobación regulatoria", habiendo una “expectativa” de que Benchmark, la empresa noruega que arribó a Chile en 2020 y fabricante de CleanTreat, llevara el sistema a un sitio existente “para su aprobación”. Más adelante, la directora de Marine Scotland indicó que la tecnología de la empresa recibiría una “bienvenida consideración”.

Turpie, catalogó de “vergonzoso” el lobby ejercido por la representante del gobierno escocés. “La directora de Marine Scotland fue sorprendida haciendo lobby no para el medioambiente marino, sino para el uso de un neonicotinoide peligroso para aguas escocesas”.

 

Rough English translation via Interferencia: "Salmon Farming - Norwegian company seeks to commercialize in Chile a pesticide banned by the EU for being 'very toxic' to aquatic life"

 

Scottish Salmon Watch also reported last week (17 June 2021) on how the Norwegian Government's Directorate of Fisheries had supported clinical field trials of D-10 Aquatic Blast (Imidacloprid) at two salmon farms in Norway.  FOI requests filed with various Norwegian Government agencies and salmon farming companies (who are subject to the Environmental Information Act in Norway) cited an email from a Member of the Scottish Parliament (the sender's name was redacted but it is understood to be sent by Fergus Ewing who is seen bullying/lobbying for the use of Imidacloprid in Scottish waters):

 

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Read more via Anyone for Norwegian Salmon Marinaded in the Banned Neonicotinoid Imidacloprid (don't worry it's ASC-approved)?!

 

Best fishes,

 

Don

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Addendum:

 

From: Don Staniford <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, Jun 29, 2021 at 5:46 AM
Subject: Imidacloprid via Salmoclinic?
To: <[email protected]>
 
I was reading your web-site and the statement that Salmoclinic: "Opens possibility of registry of new high efficacy medicinal products against sea lice".
 
Will you be using Imidacloprid?
 
I just Tweeted:
 
 
 
You may also have read:
 
 
Muchas gracias,
 
Don

Posted at 06:53 AM |

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