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08/30/2022

Toxic Gasses Spew From The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost Scotland) Off Portree

 

 

 

 

$camon $cotland received this tip-off via our website on Sunday evening (28 August 2022):


Date: Sun, Aug 28, 2022 at 7:57 PM
Subject: Portree salmon farm
To: <[email protected]>

Hi

I recently came back to my home town of Portree for a visit, and found out the problems that have been going on at the Scottish Salmon Company (now Bakkafrost). Their feed barge sank end of last year with over 400t of feed on board and I believe the deck was also full of tubs filled with mortalites.


This barge has laid on the seabed since then and a few weeks ago a team of divers have come to the site to start the process of raising the barge, however this was stopped for over a week as there was found to be very high levels of toxic gasses emerging from the barge and the old feed, this has lead to an exclusion zone being put in place around the farm because of the dangers of these gasses and there is a 24hr guard by a boat.

I am not sure if you are aware of this that has been happening and all the risks that is happening to the environment, its just another of a long list of how salmon farms are damaging the environment.

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

A drone captured video footage over the salmon farm site off Portree yesterday evening (29 August 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Late last night, $camon $cotland received corroboration from a second source on the Isle of Skye who confirmed:

 

"Yes it is true, I heard about it late last night.  I can’t remember what the gas is, Sulphur something - very toxic in tiny parts per million.  Apparently if you can smell it it’s too late you have had too high a dose.  Briggs Marine were the divers and they have left the site."

 

Briggs

 

 

 

The toxic gas is understood - heard from sources with knowledge of the aborted salvage operation - to be Hydrogen Sulphide which is also known as swamp gas, stink damp and sewer gas. 

 

Hydrogen Sulphide #5

 

 



 

 

Here's a toxicological overview on Hydrogen Sulphide published by Public Health England:

 

Hydrogen Sulphide #1

Hydrogen Sulphide #2

 

 

 

Hydrogen Sulphide is described by the Occupational Safety & Helath Administration as a"colorless, flammable, extremely hazardous gas with a 'rotten egg' smell":

 

Hydrogen Sulphide #3

Hydrogen Sulphide #4

Hydrogen Sulphide #7

 



 

 

Diving at sites exposed to Hydrogen Sulphide pollution can be fatal.

 

Hydrogen Sulphide #8

 

Hydrogen Sulphide #9

 

 

 

If there is an exclusion zone in place around Bakkafrost's toxic salmon farming operation off the important harbour of Portee on the Isle of Skye it begs the question: is it safe for cruise ships to visit (as The World did last week)?

 



World cruise ship in Portree #2

 



World cruise ship in Portree

 



 

 

And when the RNLI lifeboats held an open day in Portree over the weekend were they aware of any safety exclusion zone around the Bakkafrost Scotland salmon farm?

 

Portree lifeboats

 

 

 

 

 

The public surely deserve to be told if there is an exclusion zone around the toxic Scottish Salmon Company?

 

 

 

 

The Scottish Salmon Company (renamed Bakkafrost Scotland back in June 2022 but still using their old name) distributed information on the salvage operation earlier this month via the West Highland Anchorages & Mooring Association:

 

Feed barge salvage

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the Briggs Marine salvage boat involved:

 

Feed barge salvage #4

 

 

 

The feed barge which sank may have only been launched in 2019.  Fish Farming Expert reported in March 2019:

 

Feed barge 2019 #1

Feed barge 2019 #2

 



 

 

$camon $cotland has filed FOI requests with Marine Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Health & Safety Executive - including:

 

From: Don Staniford <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, Aug 29, 2022 at 12:05 PM
Subject: Fwd: Portree salmon farm
To: AccesstoInformation <[email protected]>
Cc: Pollard, Peter <[email protected]>, Sinclair, Douglas <[email protected]>, Media <[email protected]>



Please find enclosed a tip-off via $camon $cotland's website last night detailing an incident regarding a sunken barge at Bakkafrost Scotland (The Scottish Salmon Company) off Portree on the Isle of Skye - including:
 
"This barge has laid on the seabed since then [the end of last year] and a few weeks ago a team of divers have come to the site to start the process of raising the barge, however this was stopped for over a week as there was found to be very high levels of toxic gasses emerging from the barge and the old feed, this has lead to an exclusion zone being put in place around the farm because of the dangers of these gasses and there is a 24hr guard by a boat"
 
 
Could you please provide information on the alleged incident at Bakkafrost Scotland's Portree salmon farm?
 
I have Googled 'sunken feed barge' and there are a number of media stories but they appear to feature Grieg Seafood and Mowi:
 
 
 
It appears that Bakkafrost Scotland (when named The Scottish Salmon Company) launched a new feed barge off Portree in 2019/2018:
 
Feed barge


 
 
This may have been the feed barge which sank - filmed in November 2019 when Scottish Salmon Watch was prevented by The Scottish Salmon Company (since renamed Bakkafrost Scotland) at the Portree salmon farm:
 
The only news online I can find on the sunken barge at Bakkafrost Scotland off Portree was published by the West Highland Anchorages and Moorings Association on 8 August 2022 via http://whamassoc.org.uk/news/barge-salvage-portree-fish-farm-isle-of-skye-05-08-2022-to-31-08-2022
 
Feed barge salvage
 
 
 
The Notice to Mariners dated 5th August 2022 (issued by The Scottish Salmon Company even though they changed their name to Bakkafrost Scotland in June 2022) included via http://whamassoc.org.uk/bundles/app/downloads/62f14a6b8b2b9_SSC_Notice%20to%20Mariners_Portree.pdf
 
 
Feed barge salvage #2


 
And:
 
 
Feed barge salvage #3
 
 
SEPA's name is not listed above but presumably, if there has been a toxic leak, then SEPA would have been notified and would have been involved.
 
Further information on this alleged pollution incident would be much appreciated.
 
Please consider this a formal Freedom of Information request under the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations. 
 
Please provide a receipt. 
 
Over and above, please feel free to reply to my Tweet: https://twitter.com/TheGAAIA/status/1564201311066808321
 
Thanks,
 
 
Don Staniford
 
Director, $camon $cotland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$camon $cotland has emailed Bakkafrost's CEO and management to ask for more information:

 

From: Don Staniford <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, Aug 30, 2022 at 12:52 PM
Subject: Toxic Gasses at Bakkafrost Scotland?
To: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>
Cc: <dougie.macleod@scottishsalmon.com>



Can Bakkafrost please comment publicly on the toxic gasses spewing from a sunken feed barge off Portree on the Isle of Skye?
 
 
The salvage operation for the sunken feed barge was notified to various agencies earlier this month via The Scottish Salmon Company: http://whamassoc.org.uk/bundles/app/downloads/62f14a6b8b2b9_SSC_Notice%20to%20Mariners_Portree.pdf
 
Feed barge salvage #5
 
 
I was just searching Bakkafrost's financial reports: https://www.bakkafrost.com/en/investor-relations/
 
 
Where is the sunken feed barge incident cited in Bakkafrost quarterly reports?  
 
Grieg Seafood, for example, reported losses due to a sunken feed barge on the Isle of Skye in 2018 to shareholders and investors: https://www.fishfarmingexpert.com/grieg-grieg-shetland-salmon/feed-barge-sinking-scuppers-grieg-shetlands-q1-profits/1256638
 
 
Surely Bakkafrost has a duty to report such losses to shareholders and stock exchange?
 
Thanks,
 
 
Don Staniford
 
Director, $camon $cotland
 

 

 



 

In May 2018, Grieg Seafood reported financial losses of close to £1 million due to raising a sunken feed barge on the Isle of Skye:

 

Grieg sunken barge #1

 

 

An Ocean Kinetics 'Method Statement & Risk Assessment' identified the sunken barge as in Loch Dunvegan:

 

Grieg sunken barge #2

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported in March 2022:

 

Grieg sunken barge #3

Grieg sunken barge #4

Grieg sunken barge #5

 

 

 

Mowi announced in a press release issued in January 2019 that a feed barge had sunk at their salmon farm in Lochboisdale on Uist:

 

Mowi sunken barge

 

 

Salmon Business reported in January 2019:

 

Mowi sunken barge #2

 

 



 

 

 

Mowi's feed barge in Loch Alsh was involved in the fatality of worker Clive Hendry in February 2020:

 

Mowi sunken barge #3

 

 

 



 

 

It seems that The Oban Times reported on the sinking of the feed barge at The Scottish Salmon Company's Portree salmon farm during Storm Arwen in November 2021 (the article is behind a paywall but the cache copy is detailed below):

 

Feed barge Nov 2021 #1

Feed barge Nov 2021

 

 

 

 

Another article online in The Oban Times (29 November 2021) included:

 

Feed barge Nov 2021 #2

Feed barge Nov 2021 #3

 

 

 

Read more via:

Scottish Salmon Exposed - Photos highlight the disease & welfare nightmare at The Scottish Salmon Company!

Channel 4 News on Scottish Salmon Spying on Corin Smith!

Bakkafrost (Faroese/Norwegian owner of The 'Scottish' Salmon Company) set for hefty fine in the Faroes!

Salmongate: Corin Smith's 'Subject Access Requests' to the Salmafia Reveal Spying by Scottish Salmon!

The Spy Who Loved 'Scottish' Salmon - from Russia, Ukraine, Switzerland, Norway & the Faroes with Love for Salmoney!

Herald/Ferret: "Scottish Salmon Company chief hired investigator to 'snoop' on fish farming critic"

Video of France 5s 'The Truth About Salmon' featuring Mowi & The Scottish Salmon Company

Photos of Welfare Abuse at The Scottish Salmon Company in Loch Carron (West Strome salmon farm)

Videos of Welfare Abuse at The Scottish Salmon Company in Loch Carron (West Strome salmon farm)

Animal Equality Exposes Scottish Salmon Slaughterhouse

Norwegian Government Asked to Divest from 'Unethical' & 'Irresponsible' Scottish Salmon!

Over 5 Million Dead 'Scottish' Salmon Since 2017 - Sponsored by Investors from Norway, the Faroes etc!

The Camera Never Lies About Scottish Salmon!

Photo Dossier of Diseased, Deformed & Abused Scottish Salmon

The Severely Damaged Scottish Salmon Company - For Sale Now!

Maaey day for the Scottish Salmon Company

Ground-truthing disease-ridden Scottish salmon

Mmmm Blind Scottish Salmon with Boils, Anyone?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at 08:54 AM |

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