"The @scotgov must immediately stop all imports of salmon eggs (ova) to prevent the spread of deadly Infectious Salmon Anaemia. Importing ova from countries with disease risks such as Norway and Iceland is a recipe for ruin" https://t.co/IadbzTUbD9 @ScotlandSalmon @DefraGovUK pic.twitter.com/xbvseP1rPF
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 27, 2021
"The Scottish Government must immediately stop all imports of salmon eggs (ova) to prevent the spread of deadly Infectious Salmon Anaemia," cautioned Don Staniford, Director of Scottish Salmon Watch. "If the Covid-19 crisis has taught us nothing else it is the need to close borders and introduce quarantine measures to stop the spread of diseases, viruses and pathogens. Importing ova from countries with disease risks such as Norway and Iceland is a recipe for ruin. How on earth is 'Scottish' salmon farming still permitted to import tens of millions of potentially virus-laden ova without any testing for Infectious Salmon Anaemia, Piscine Reovirus and other infectious agents?"
Now that pathogenic Infectious Salmon Anaemia is suspected in Iceland will Scotland close the border to ova imports to stop the risk of disease transfer? @MairiGougeon @marinescotland @ScotlandSalmon @WeAreBenchmark @fms_scotland @SalmonTroutCons https://t.co/3d7SGEVAb5 https://t.co/HMxIA5pCD8
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 26, 2021
Intrafish reported (26 November 2021):
First ever case of pathogenic ISA suspected in farmed salmon in Iceland @IntraFish https://t.co/cDiBHoiVyc
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 26, 2021
Is ISA already lurking in Scotland via imported ova from Iceland? @MairiGougeon @marinescotland @ScotlandSalmon @WeAreBenchmark pic.twitter.com/YBqUTW9OZV
Data published by the Scottish Government in September 2021 via the 'Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2020' detailed imports of ova from Iceland flooding 'Scottish' salmon farms following the ban on ova imports from Norway due to ISA risks in 2019:
Game Ova for Iceland?
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 27, 2021
Last year, 'Scottish' salmon farming imported 42 million salmon eggs (ova) from Iceland - how many were infected with Infectious Salmon Anaemia? @scotgov @MairiGougeon @marinescotlandhttps://t.co/SupjI0ROMP @EFTAsecretariat @Iceland_Review #Iceland #ISA pic.twitter.com/VtJk2POf8m
In July 2021, I Tweeted: "Replacing imports of salmon eggs from Norway (where Infectious Salmon Anaemia is ravaging farms) with imports from Iceland (fingered in the spread of Piscine reovirus to USA) is like leaping out of the frying pan into the fire!"
Replacing imports of salmon eggs from Norway (where Infectious Salmon Anaemia is ravaging farms) with imports from Iceland (fingered in the spread of Piscine reovirus to USA) is like leaping out of the frying pan into the fire! https://t.co/ybGKdLWR9B @WeAreBenchmark @scotgov pic.twitter.com/wsmnKodIAp
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 7, 2021
Scottish Salmon Watch reported in July 2021:
A Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure by the Scottish Government published online in April 2021 reveals that 'Scottish' salmon is now sourced predominantly from imported ova (eggs) from Iceland and Ireland substituting Norway (due to ongoing risks of the spread of Infectious Salmon Anaemia).
Here's all the ova imports since July 2020 (as disclosed by the Scottish Government via FOI in March 2021):
A further FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government in August 2021 revealed further ova imports from Iceland and Ireland after February 2021 (although the data does not provide information on the import consignor as with previous FOI disclosures):
And another FOI disclousre by the Scottish Government in August 2020 detailed ova imports from January to July 2020:
Another FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government in February 2020 detailed ova imports during 2019:
The FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government in February 2020 detailed ova imports in 2018:
A FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government in July 2018 detailing ova imports in 2017 was originally redacted as it was deemed 'commercially damaging':
However, following a FOI victory with a ruling by the Scottish Information Commissioner, ova import data for 2017 was finally disclosed in full in December 2019:
Ova import data for 2016 was disclosed via FOI by the Scottish Government in February 2020:
Scottish Salmon Watch asked in May 2021:
What viruses have been imported via infected ova from Norway, Iceland & Ireland into salmon farms in Scotland? @WeAreBenchmark @marinescotland @scotseafarms @LeroySeafood @MairiGougeon @MairiMcAllan @GreenerScotland @FergusEwingSNP @GriegShetland @salmobreed @ScotlandMowi https://t.co/DIqTXEAQu3
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) May 29, 2021
Scottish Salmon Watch wrote to Scottish Ministers in August 2021 following a report of ISA at Scottish Sea Farms in Loch Spelve:
Letter to Scottish Ministers: "What action is the Scottish Government taking to stop the spread of deadly ISA? What other salmon farms are affected and how many other positive cases have been detected?" https://t.co/d0hFOve4pg @scotgov @ScotGovNetZero @MairiGougeon @MairiMcAllan
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 30, 2021
"The Scottish Government should immediately quarantine @scotseafarms & test all salmon farms in Scotland for Infectious Salmon Anaemia" https://t.co/d0hFOve4pg @scotgov @ScotGovNetZero @MairiGougeon @MairiMcAllan @marinescotland @SSPOsays @APHAgovuk @rspcaassured @salmon_scottish pic.twitter.com/V2NEPx4Rst
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 30, 2021
"The ISA virus is a ticking time-bomb with the risk of spreading the deadly disease all too real. RSPCA Assured @scotseafarms in Loch Spelve could be ground zero in another ISA disease outbreak" https://t.co/d0hFOve4pg @scotgov @SSPOsays @rspcaassured @obantimes @scotgp pic.twitter.com/JguXT9RgkG
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 30, 2021
A Freedom of Information reply from the Scottish Government earlier this month (2 April 2020) revealed an abject lack of testing of viruses, pathogens and infectious diseases.
In April 2020 @GreenerScotland admitted that imported salmon eggs (ova) are not tested for Infectious Salmon Anaemia or Piscine Reovirus https://t.co/pllpGndiXN Is 'Scottish' salmon infected with deadly viruses? @DefraGovUK @marinescotland @FergusEwingMSP @strathearnrose @scotgp https://t.co/mFWoXWy7Eq pic.twitter.com/ZLDlLGUBoS
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 20, 2020
In February 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch wrote to Scottish Ministers with respect to bio-security protocols and safety precautions of imported ova.
What bio-security protocols & safety precautions are Scottish Ministers taking re. imports of ova for use on 'Scottish' salmon farms? https://t.co/uUvCg7mKfq @FergusEwingMSP @strathearnrose @KateForbesMSP @MairiGougeon @GreenerScotland @marinescotland @WeAreBenchmark @HGSalmonUK pic.twitter.com/YFjGUiaNlt
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 26, 2020
In February 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch and The Ferret revealed that imports of salmon eggs (ova) from Norway were banned in May 2019 following fears of the spread of Infectious Salmon Anaemia with Iceland replacing Norway as the primary source of 'Scottish' salmon.
Norwegian Salmon Egg Exports Banned Due to Disease Risks https://t.co/rEeHFKqewt @EFTAsecretariat @InfoMattilsynet @marinescotland @fiskeridir @NFdep @WeAreBenchmark @scotseafarms @MowiScotlandLtd @HGSalmonUK @FergusEwingMSP @DefraGovUK @SSPOsays #ISA #Norway #ScottishScamon pic.twitter.com/XmW4SaPYG2
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 24, 2020
Following a critical inspection by @EFTAsecretariat in May 2019 imports of Norwegian eggs were banned from Scotland due to the perceived risk of spreading Infectious Salmon Anemia @undercur https://t.co/r371khiJlW @InfoMattilsynet @WeAreBenchmark @fiskeridir @NFdep @SSPOsays
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 25, 2020
Vertical transmission of PRV via infected ova has been reported from Iceland to the United States. The Seattle Times reported in May 2018:
The Seattle Times reported in December 2018:
Salmon Business reported in December 2018:
Scottish Salmon Watch warned in a press release published in August 2020:
The press release (25 August 2020) included:
#COVID19 has taught us that closing borders is vital in stemming the spread of infectious diseases, viruses & pathogens https://t.co/MAShiQlkpw Salmon farms using imported eggs should be quarantined until they can prove they're free of deadly viruses! @GreenerScotland #ISA #PRV pic.twitter.com/2pazJ07x9U
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 26, 2020
Back in April 2019, Scottish Salmon Watch called for a ban on imports of ova from Norway and Iceland!
Read more via:
ISA in Iceland - will Scotland ban ova imports to prevent disease risks as with Norway?
Breaking News: ISA reported at RSPCA Assured Scottish Sea Farms on the Isle of Mull
Letter to Scottish Ministers re. ISA in Scottish Salmon
Media Backgrounder: Scottish Salmon’s Recurring ISA Nightmare
Media Backgrounder: Norway’s Infectious Salmon Aquacalypse – Going Global Since 1984!
Massive Attack on "Rotten Edifice" of 'Scottish' Salmon
Norway's Infectious Salmon "Horror Show" Secretly Playing Now In Scotland?
'Scottish' salmon resumes imports of "ISA-free" eggs from Norway?
Letter to Scottish Ministers: "Bio-security Protocols & Safety Precautions re. Ova Imports"
The Ferret: "Imports of Norwegian salmon eggs banned over deadly virus"
Norwegian Salmon Egg Exports Banned Due to Disease Risks
Game Ova for Scottish Salmon - Deadly disease delays egg imports from AquaGen in Norway
Deadly virus outbreak prompted fears over import of fish farm eggs to Scotland
Mail On Sunday: "90% of Scottish salmon 'ISN'T' from Scotland' - 66m eggs shipped in from abroad"
Salmon Eggsclusive: Scotland's 'King of Fish' is Now Viking Not Scottish!
Easter Egg Ban for 'Scottish' Salmon?
The Ferret: "Deadly virus outbreak prompted fears over import of fish farm eggs to Scotland"
Game Ova for Scottish Salmon - Deadly disease delays egg imports from AquaGen in Norway
Concerns raised over Scottish salmon roe imports
Government 'failing to protect Scottish salmon'
Imported eggs ruling 'makes a mockery of Scottish salmon'
Norway keeps ban on import of Scottish roe
Tartan imposters’ charge as fish egg imports hit 90%
Fish farms are ‘wiping out Scotland’s wild salmon’
'Norwegian' genes found in wild salmon populations in Wester Ross
"The ISA virus is a ticking time-bomb with the risk of spreading the deadly disease all too real. RSPCA Assured @scotseafarms in Loch Spelve could be ground zero in another ISA disease outbreak" https://t.co/d0hFOve4pg @scotgov @SSPOsays @rspcaassured @obantimes @scotgp pic.twitter.com/JguXT9RgkG
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 30, 2021
"In order to protect the genetic integrity of Scotland's iconic Atlantic salmon, all farmed salmon including ova and smolts should be screened for ISA, Piscine Reovirus and other viruses, diseases and pathogens" https://t.co/MSiOJMBDie @scotgov @MairiGougeon @MairiMcAllan pic.twitter.com/wgh0Uioe5Y
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2021