Green Around the Gills

Letter to Scottish Ministers on PRV/HSMI prevalence in salmon farms, hatcheries & processing plants in Scotland

 

 

 

 

 

In a letter to Scottish Ministers (28 November 2022), $camon $cotland calls on the Scottish Government to come clean on the extent of PRV/HSMI in Scottish salmon farms (including hatcheries) and processing plants: 

 

 

 

The letter showcases an analysis of Scottish Government 'Case Information' and 'Mortality Event Reports' published by the Fish Health Inspectorate which details PRV/HSMI at 37 salmon farms across Scotland since November 2017 (with many more cases reported since data became publicly available in 2013):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REVEALED: Data @scotgov shows 37 salmon farms across Scotland reported PRV/HSMI since November 2017: 14 Bakkafrost @Folketrygdfond; 10 @MowiScotlandLtd; 6 @scotseafarms; 4 @GriegShetland; 2 @LochDuartSalmon & 1 @CookeScotland https://t.co/TZgmqNv5VM @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/Wgad7GSCUh

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 29, 2022

 

 

 

 

The letter to Scottish Ministers concludes:

 

 

 

 

Mapped: Scottish salmon's disease-ridden & virus-laden salmon farms https://t.co/TZgmqNNf9U
What safeguards are in place to stop the spread of PRV/HSMI? @scotgov @marinescotland @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon @MowiScotlandLtd @scotseafarms @GriegShetland @LochDuartSalmon pic.twitter.com/gaSWwtFTMy

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 29, 2022

 

 

Read the letter to Scottish Ministers online here

 

 

 

 

Read more via a press release (29 November 2022) online here

 

 

 

 

 

 

REVEALED: 'Case Information' published by @scotgov shows Mowi's Carradale salmon farm in Kilbrannan Sound tested positve for PRV-1 in August 2020 - 10 days before 48,834 salmon escaped into rivers up & down the West coast! #PRV #HSMI #Disease #Virus @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/M3ftFwPdHB

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 29, 2022

 

 

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 28, 2022 at 10:22 AM
Subject: Letter & FOI to Scottish Ministers re. PRV/HSMI
To: <scottish.ministers@gov.scot>
Cc: <directormarinescotland@gov.scot>, <marinescotland@gov.scot>

 

Please pass on a letter to Scottish Ministers - including a FOI - on PRV/HSMI.

 

Download the letter dated 28 November 2022 online here (it can be emailed but it is 13 MB and may bounce). 

 

The FOI part of the letter - at the end on p87 - includes:

 

Please consider this a formal request for information under the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations:

 

How many wild fish have been tested by the Scottish Government (including Marine Scotland Science) for PRV/HSMI since 1 January 2019?

 

How many farmed salmon in sea cages, freshwater lochs, hatcheries, harvesting stations and processing plants have been tested by the Scottish Government (including Marine Scotland Science) for PRV/HSMI since 1 January 2019?

 

Please provide an annual breakdown and provide documents (including photos) detailing testing, sampling, data analysis, scientific studies and any information pertaining to PRV/HSMI.  Please provide copies of any Cabinet Briefings, internal memos, letters, correspondence with salmon farming companies and diagnostic testing companies and emails.  

 

Please provide any information held by the Scottish Government on testing of farmed salmon and wild fish for PRV/HSMI – including any commercial testing carried out by salmon farming companies such as Mowi, Bakkafrost/The Scottish Salmon Company, Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk), Grieg Seafood, Cooke Aquaculture, Loch Duart, Kames and Organic Sea Harvest as well as private diagnostic testing by companies such as Patogen and the Fish Vet Group. 

 

In light of the recent science on PRV/HSMI from Canada, $camon $cotland urges the Scottish Government to reconsider and reverse previous refusals to disclose data on PRV/HSMI testing of farmed salmon.

 

Please provide the information electronically and please provide a receipt for this FOI request.   

 

A formal reply to the concerns raised in this letter from Scottish Ministers would also be much appreciated.

 

Please let me know if you need a PDF copy (13 MB) emailed. 

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Don Staniford

 

Director, $camon $cotland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

Unsatisfactory Biosecurity: Disease Control 'Improvement' & 'Further Investigation' Required at Processing Plants Operated by Mowi & Loch Duart

Letter to Scottish Ministers: Please Close the Border to Imports of Salmon Ova, Parr & Smolts!

Iceland Still Importing Ova to 'Scottish' Salmon Farms Despite Disease Risks

Game Ova for Imports & Exports: Close the Borders to Stop the Spread of Diseases & Genetic Pollution!

Infectious Salmon Anaemia Reported at Landcatch’s Ormsary Hatchery in November – was ISA imported via infected salmon eggs (ova) from Iceland?

Stop the Scottish Salmondemic - please avoid disease-ridden farmed salmon like the proverbial plague!

ISA hits Scottish Sea Farms owner SalMar in Norway - how many hidden cases are lurking on salmon farms in Scotland?

Letter to Scottish Ministers calling for a ban on ova imports from Iceland

FOI Reveals Virus-Laden Salmon Slip Net & Into Scottish Waters

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

Letter to Scottish Ministers: "Bio-security Protocols & Safety Precautions re. Ova Imports"

Salmondemic Plagues Scotland

Virus-Laden Farmed Salmon - FOI reveals over half of samples test positive for Piscine Reovirus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADDENDUM:

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 28, 2022 at 11:30 AM
Subject: PRV/HSMI risks to wild fish - FMS position/tests/science?
To: <general@fms.scot>

 

Please pass this email onto FMS's Aquaculture Interactions Officer and your scientific committee. 

 

Does FMS have a policy position or press statement in relation to the risks of PRV/HSMI to wild fish (especially in relation to the mass escape of 48,834 PRV-infected farmed salmon from Mowi's Carradale salmon farm in August 2020)?

 

You should be aware of a recently published scientific paper:

 

‘Detection and phylogenetic assessment of PRV-1 via sampling of biological materials released from salmon farms in British Columbia’

 

Scientists in Canada collected biological samples adjacent to 56 marine net pens from five different companies and two farm salmon processing plants with 70% of samples testing positive for Piscine orthoreovirus-1 (PRV-1). This compares to Marine Scotland Science detecting PRV in 52% (399 out of 774 samples) of farmed salmon tested in 2018/2019. 

 

$camon $cotland (formerly called Scottish Salmon Watch) today wrote to Scottish Ministers calling for testing of marine and freshwater salmon farms, hatcheries, harvesting stations and processing plants for PRV/HSMI - read our letter online here (see below for an email to Scottish Ministers which includes a FOI on testing for PRV/HSMI in wild fish). 

 

Based on information published online by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate, $camon $cotland identify 37 salmon farms across Scotland where PRV/HSMI has been detected since November 2017.  These PRV/HSMI cases are detailed in a map (download online here) and include 14 Bakkafrost/The Scottish Salmon Company salmon farms; 10 Mowi; 6 Scottish Sea Farms; 4 Grieg Seafood, 2 Loch Duart and 1 Cooke Aquaculture; namely:

 

 

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Aird in Loch Sheildaig/Torridon)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Ardcastle Bay in Loch Fyne)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (East Tarbert Bay in the Sound of Gigha)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Lamlash Bay/St Molios, Isle of Arran)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Loch Odhairn/Gravir, Isle of Lewis)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Maragay Mor in Loch Uiskevagh, Uists)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Portree/Torvaig in Sound of Raasay, Isle of Skye)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Portree Outer in Sound of Raasay, Isle of Skye)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Plocrapol in East Loch Tarbert, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Reibinish in East Loch Tarbert, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Scadabay in Loch Grosebay, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Sgeir Dughall in Loch Torridon)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Taranaish in Loch Roag, Isle of Lewis)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Tarbert South in Loch Fyne)

Cooke Aquaculture (Lyrawa Bay in Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands)

Grieg Seafood (Cole Deep in Gon Firth, Shetland)

Grieg Seafood (Gob Na Hoe in Loch Dunvegan, Isle of Skye)

Grieg Seafood (Leinish Bay in Loch Dunvegan, Isle of Skye)

Grieg Seafood (North Voe in Linga Sound, Shetland)

Loch Duart (Loch Laxford, Sutherland)

Loch Duart (Lochmaddy, North Uist)

Mowi (Ardintoul in Loch Alsh)

Mowi (Cairidh in Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Eilean Grianain/Carradale in Kilbrannan Sound)

Mowi (Greshornish in Loch Snizort, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Kingairloch in Loch a Choire/Loch Linnhe)

Mowi (North Shore in Loch Erisort, Isle of Lewis)

Mowi (Sconser Quarry in Caol Mor, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Sron in Loch Alsh)

Mowi (Stulaigh in Loch Eynort, South Uist)

Mowi (Tabhaigh in Loch Erisort, Isle of Lewis)

Scottish Sea Farms (Bight of Foraness in Swinnister Voe, Shetland)

Scottish Sea Farms (Bloody Bay in the Sound of Mull, Isle of Mull)

Scottish Sea Farms (Loch Creran)

Scottish Sea Farms (Lismore North, Loch Linnhe)

Scottish Sea Farms (Nevis C in Loch Nevis)

Scottish Sea Farms (Shuna in Loch Linnhe)

  

 

Many more PRV/HSMI positive cases are reported by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate via 'Case Information' archived for 2013-2017 (some cases are identified in $camon $cotland's letter to Scottish Ministers). 

 

The letter also cites a Fish Health Inspectorate report in August 2020 for Mowi's Carradale salmon farm in Kilbrannan Sound which reported 12/12 samples of farmed salmon testing positive by Patogen for PRV-1 (the causative agent of HSMI) on 10 August 2020 (ten days before the escape of 48,834 farmed salmon).  There is no record of PRV/HSMI testing of wild salmon following the mass escape – including escapees caught in the River Leven, River Stinchar, River Doon and the River Girvan.  If FMS did any testing or is aware of any please pass on.    

 

 

In September 2019, Scottish Salmon Watch published photos of disease-ridden wild salmon – tested by Scottish Government inspectors for infectious diseases – and asked: “Are Farms Spreading Infectious Diseases, Pathogens & Viruses to Wild Fish?”

 

The letter cites a Fish Health Inspectorate report in June 2021 which detailed the testing of 90 juvenile wild salmon caught in the River Forss - all were negative for PRV.  A further 5 samples of wild salmon caught in the River Divie (River Findhorn) in May 2022 were tested by the Fish Health Inspectorate - all were negative for PRV.  Other 'Case Information' published by the Scottish Government also details testing of wild salmon for PRV.

 

Whilst ca. 100 wild salmon appear to have been tested by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate since June 2021 (you are welcome to trawl through all the 'Case Information' for yourself to get the exact number - online here), it seems that less than a dozen farmed salmon are tested each year by the Scottish Government.  Instead, private diagnostic companies (including Patogen based in Dunstaffnage and the Fish Vet Group in Inverness) and in-house company vets are carrying out PRV/HSMI testing.  The private testing is often referenced - but not included in full - via 'Case Information' published online by the Scottish Government.  More detailed information on the 399 PRV-positive tests detected by Marine Scotland Science in farmed salmon in 2018/2019 (as disclosed by the Scottish Government via FOI) was refused due to "commercial confidentiality".     

 

You can find out more context and information in our letter to Scottish Ministers online here.

 

Suffice to say that $camon $cotland have serious concerns at the lack of Scottish Government testing - including in freshwater farms, hatcheries, harvesting stations, processing plants and via imported ova. 

 

As I wrote to Scottish Ministers:

 

"The disease dangers of importing ova – whether they are sourced from Norway, Iceland or Ireland – represents all too real a risk for wild fish and it beggars belief that imported ova remains untested for PRV, ISA and other viruses, pathogens and diseases.  Government surveillance of PRV/HSMI inside sea cages, freshwater smolt farms, hatcheries and processing plants (including waste effluents and waste biological material) must close the net on the disease-ridden, virus-laden and lice-infested salmon farming sector in Scotland. The protection of commercial confidentiality and the business interests of foreign-owned companies (who control 99% of ‘Scottish’ salmon farming production) cannot be allowed to take precedence over Scotland’s iconic wild salmon.”

 

 

 

More background on this issue is published via:

 

Piscine Reovirus Ravages Scottish Salmon Farms - please follow the science in Canada & investigate the risks to wild fish in Scotland!

Going Down the Drain: Photos of Mowi's blood water treatment at "highly offensive & polluting" processing plant in Fort William

Unsatisfactory Biosecurity: Disease Control 'Improvement' & 'Further Investigation' Required at Processing Plants Operated by Mowi & Loch Duart

Heart & Pancreas Disease Ravage Scottish Salmon (according to new Marine Scotland Science report)

FOI Reveals Virus-Laden Salmon Slip Net & Into Scottish Waters

Virus-Laden Farmed Salmon - FOI reveals over half of samples test positive for Piscine Reovirus

 

 

 

A press release referencing $camon $cotland's concerns and letter to Scottish Ministers is also available online here (Embargoed until tomorrow). 

 

 

If you have any queries I am on 07771 541826.

 

 

Best fishes,

 

Don

 

 

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Nov 29, 2022 at 7:55 AM
Subject: PRV/HSMI cases on salmon farms in Scotland?
To: <eann.munro@gov.scot>

 

Dr Munro,

 

I was reading your April 2021 presentation at TriNation in which you report (based on data sourced from Salmon Scotland) that there were only two cases of HSMI in 2020 and zero in 2019: http://trination.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Munro_Scotland-Trinations-meeting.pdf

 

 

Why were the reports of HSMI (and PRV) - published via the Scottish Government's 'Case Information' and 'Mortality Event Reports' - ignored?  

 

The data may be difficult to extract (it's almost as if someone has deliberately hidden it) but it's all there to see - $camon $cotland counted 37 PRV/HSMI cases over the last five years (since November 2017) and many more detailed via the 2013-2017 FHI 'Case Information'. 

 

And the FHI 'Case Information' cites numerous HSMI/PRV cases of private commercial diagnostic testing by Patogen and the Fish Vet Group on behalf of salmon farming companies.  Surely, Marine Scotland Science has access to that database?

 

A FOI disclosure by Marine Scotland Science in June 2019 showed that PRV was detected in 52% (399 out of 774 samples tested) of farmed salmon. 

 

Anyway, here's a map of the 37 PRV/HSMI positives reported by the Scottish Government since November 2017:

 

 

 

The 37 PRV/HSMI positive cases since November 2017 include 14 sites operated by Bakkafrost/The Scottish Salmon Company; 10 Mowi; 6 Scottish Sea Farms; 4 Grieg Seafood, 2 Loch Duart and 1 Cooke Aquaculture site:

 

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Aird in Loch Sheildaig/Torridon)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Ardcastle Bay in Loch Fyne)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (East Tarbert Bay in the Sound of Gigha)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Lamlash Bay/St Molios, Isle of Arran)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Loch Odhairn/Gravir, Isle of Lewis)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Maragay Mor in Loch Uiskevagh, Uists)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Portree/Torvaig in Sound of Raasay, Isle of Skye)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Portree Outer in Sound of Raasay, Isle of Skye)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Plocrapol in East Loch Tarbert, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Reibinish in East Loch Tarbert, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Scadabay in Loch Grosebay, Isle of Harris)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Sgeir Dughall in Loch Torridon)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Taranaish in Loch Roag, Isle of Lewis)

Bakkafrost/ The Scottish Salmon Company (Tarbert South in Loch Fyne)

Cooke Aquaculture (Lyrawa Bay in Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands)

Grieg Seafood (Cole Deep in Gon Firth, Shetland)

Grieg Seafood (Gob Na Hoe in Loch Dunvegan, Isle of Skye)

Grieg Seafood (Leinish Bay in Loch Dunvegan, Isle of Skye)

Grieg Seafood (North Voe in Linga Sound, Shetland)

Loch Duart (Loch Laxford, Sutherland)

Loch Duart (Lochmaddy, North Uist)

Mowi (Ardintoul in Loch Alsh)

Mowi (Cairidh in Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Eilean Grianain/Carradale in Kilbrannan Sound)

Mowi (Greshornish in Loch Snizort, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Kingairloch in Loch a Choire/Loch Linnhe)

Mowi (North Shore in Loch Erisort, Isle of Lewis)

Mowi (Sconser Quarry in Caol Mor, Isle of Skye)

Mowi (Sron in Loch Alsh)

Mowi (Stulaigh in Loch Eynort, South Uist)

Mowi (Tabhaigh in Loch Erisort, Isle of Lewis)

Scottish Sea Farms (Bight of Foraness in Swinnister Voe, Shetland)

Scottish Sea Farms (Bloody Bay in the Sound of Mull, Isle of Mull)

Scottish Sea Farms (Loch Creran)

Scottish Sea Farms (Lismore North, Loch Linnhe)

Scottish Sea Farms (Nevis C in Loch Nevis)

Scottish Sea Farms (Shuna in Loch Linnhe)

 

 

 

Do you have a similar map and list?  

 

 

More background is available via: Letter to Scottish Ministers on PRV/HSMI prevalence in salmon farms, hatcheries & processing plants in Scotland

 

 

Best fishes,

 

Don Staniford

 

Director, $camon $cotland

 

 

 

 

Does Eann Munro @marinescotland #MSS have an update on the prevalance of PRV/HSMI on Scottish salmon farms? His 2021 paper - using data @ScotlandSalmon - reported only 2 cases https://t.co/uLAgKsN6tf
But @scotgov data shows 37 PRV/HSMI reports since 2017! https://t.co/TZgmqNNf9U https://t.co/sE1QK1XlEj pic.twitter.com/CFbhAZd1c8

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 29, 2022

Piscine Reovirus Ravages Scottish Salmon Farms - please follow the science in Canada & investigate the risks to wild fish in Scotland!

Safe Salmon in Canada posted on Facebook (23 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

Alexandra Morton reported (22 November 2022): "The red dots are salmon farms shedding the virus PRV. We know this because we collected bits of rotting farm salmon, scales and feces wafting out of these farms. We report that this Norwegian virus appears to originate from the farm hatcheries, it is mutating here in BC and some how the same variant is in Chinook farms in Tla-o-qui-aht and Columbia River hatchery. Here is a link to the paper. https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10.1139/cjfas-2022-0019"

 

 

 

 

Here's the abstract of the scientific paper published on 18 November 2022:

 

 

The scientific paper includes:

 

 

 

 

The Globe & Mail reported (21 November 2022):

 

Canadian Government accused of suppressing research on fish-farm virus in B.C. despite warnings it could harm wild salmon @globeandmail @alex4salmon @gidmord @1Bob_Chamberlin @wildfirstcanada @DFO_Pacific @BCSalmonFarmers @UBCIC @WatershedWatch_ https://t.co/W8cT8jbwyW

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 21, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

The spread of Piscine Reovirus and Heart & Skeletal Muscle Inflammation in Scotland - and the lack of action by the Scottish Government and Norwegian-owned companies (who control ca. 80% of 'Scottish' salmon farming) - raises alarm bells especially in the context of this new scientific research from Canada.   Scottish Salmon Watch reported back in June 2019:

 

 

 

 

In April 2019, Scottish Salmon Watch asked Scottish Ministers to test salmon farms, hatcheries and processing plants for PRV and Heart & Skeletal Muscle Inflammation:

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch's letter to Scottish Ministers in April 2019 cited numerous case reports of PRV detected in farmed salmon at sites across Scotland:

 

 

 

Piscine Reovirus is already here infecting Scottish farmed salmon - officially reported by @marinescotland via Fish Health Inspectorate case information https://t.co/DexqRA5RlP https://t.co/pfmyDTZYw2 @MHScotland pic.twitter.com/CHXKXZufj3

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 19, 2018

 

 

 

 

The cases of PRV and HSMI reported across Scotland continue unabated as mass mortalities and infectious diseases ravage salmon farms at an unprecedented scale.   $camon $cotland reported last month (29 October 2022):

 

Gotcha: Secret filming inside @scotseafarms in Loch Creran in July triggered an inspection @scotgov revealing welfare & disease problems with Piscine Reovirus, Heart & Skeletal Muscle Inflammation, exothalmia & "hanging" salmon @rspcaassured @ScotlandSalmon @marksandspencer pic.twitter.com/VFWuJqmRF1

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 29, 2022

 

 

 

Here's the Fish Health Inspectorate's report detailing an inspection on 18 July 2022 (triggered by a welfare complaint by $camon $cotland who filmed welfare abuse inside the salmon farm operated by Norwegian giant Norskott Havbruk/Scottish Sea Farms on 8 July 2022) - including "skin lesions/boils", "secondary bacterial infection", Furunculosis, Piscine Reovirus, Heart & Skeletal Muscle Inflammation, "increased mortality", fish "belly up", "moribund" and "hanging" with 72,037 dead salmon in a nine-week period:

 

 

 

 

 

The Scottish Government Fish Health Inspectorate's report includes photographic evidence of disease and welfare problems including exothalmia, haemorrhaging and frayed gills:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In July 2022, $camon $cotland covertly filmed inside four salmon farms operated by Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) - including inside Loch Creran - leading to a welfare complaint filed with the SSPCA, RSPCA Assured, Marine Scotland, Police Scotland and the Animal and Plant Health Agency:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The same Fish Health Inspectorate report for July 2022 identified PRV at The Scottish Salmon Company's Reibinish salmon farm (The Scottish Salmon Company was renamed Bakkafrost in June 2022) and included photos of disease-ridden Scottish salmon taken by Scottish Government inspectors:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piscine Reovirus (PRV) is associated with the disease Heart & Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI) and, despite a woeful lack of Scottish Government testing, appears to be spreading like the Black Death plague across salmon farms in Scotland.  A Fish Health Inspectorate report for August 2022 identified HSMI and PRV in Loch Duart's RSPCA Assured salmon farm in Loch Laxford:

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for September 2022 reported HSMI at Mowi's ASC-certified and RSPCA Assured salmon farm at Stulaigh:

 

 

 

 

In 2018, Mowi along with lawyers representing Scottish Sea Farms and The Scottish Salmon Company desperately tried to block publication of gruesome photos of disease-ridden salmon - including from Mowi's Stulaigh salmon farm - arguing that disclosure would stop people buying 'healthy' Scottish salmon!

 

 

Mowi: "the risk of people turning away from a healthy food such as salmon as a reaction to irresponsible use of photos for the sole purpose of creating fear in the consumer, is a risk to public health" https://t.co/u9Fk2kOkxz @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @FergusEwingMSP pic.twitter.com/M3AyD3jMTm

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 24, 2019

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for August 2022 detailed PRV at the East Tarbert Bay salmon farm operated by The Scottish Salmon Company/Bakkafrost off the Isle of Gigha:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fish Health Inspectorate report for August 2022 included photos detailing disease and welfare problems:

 

 

 

 

 

Testing by Scottish Government inspectors in August 2022 found five out of five farmed salmon tested positive for PRV:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's video footage published in October 2021 by Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots and STV News showcasing mass mortalities and disease at the East Tarbert Bay salmon farm:

 

Thousands of rotting salmon ‘stink out’ village after mass death at farm.https://t.co/hOoOmXr0n7

— STV News (@STVNews) October 20, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for February 2022 detailed HSMI at Mowi's RSPCA Assured salmon farm in Loch Greshornish off the Isle of Skye:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HSMI was also cited in January 2022 via another Fish Health Inspectorate report for Mowi's RSPCA Assured salmon farm in Loch Greshornish off the Isle of Skye:

 

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for December 2021 identified PRV at The Scottish Salmon Company's Taranaish salmon farm in Loch Roag off the Isle of Lewis:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fish Health Inspectorate report for December 2021 detailed disease and welfare problems - and included photos taken by Scottish Government inspectors:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for November 2021 detailed HSMI and PRV at Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) at Bloody Bay off the Isle of Mull - sourced with smolts from Barcaldine and ova (eggs) from Stofnfiskur (Benchmark) in Iceland:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Seattle Times reported in December 2018 how PRV had been imported to Washington state in the United States by Cooke Aquaculture via infected eggs from Stofnfiskur (rebranded as Benchmark Iceland in 2021):

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch's letter to Scottish Ministers in April 2019 cited the Seattle Times article and an article published by Salmon Business in December 2018 which referred to an "optional service of screening against PRV that our customers may choose as an extra risk measure to avoid vertical transmission":

 

 

 

The vertical transmission of PRV, Infectious Salmon Anaemia and other deadly diseases via infected ova imported from Iceland, Norway and Ireland is a risk repeatedly raised by Scottish Salmon Watch (renamed $camon $cotland in February 2022):

 

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

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch warned in a press release published in August 2020:

 

 

#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

 

 

 

 

$camon $cotland wrote to Scottish Ministers in February 2022 calling for a ban on imported ova due to the risks of importing infectious diseases and viruses such as ISA and PRV: 

 

Please Close the Border to Imports of Salmon Ova, Parr & Smolts! https://t.co/hZFEGSm0dX
The health & genetic integrity of ‘Scottish’ salmon is being threatened by imports flooding into Scotland. Failure @scotgov to screen imports is the antithesis of the precautionary principle pic.twitter.com/b7wg85KJ40

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 9, 2022

 

 

In a letter to Scottish Ministers sent today (28 November 2022), $camon $cotland called on the Scottish Government to come clean on the extent of PRV/HSMI in Scottish salmon farms (including hatcheries) and processing plants: 

 

 

 

 

The letter showcases an analysis of Scottish Government 'Case Information' and 'Mortality Event Reports' published by the Fish Health Inspectorate which details PRV/HSMI at 37 salmon farms across Scotland since November 2017 (with many more cases reported since data became publicly available in 2013):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The letter to Scottish Ministers concludes:

 

 

 

 

Read the letter to Scottish Ministers online here

 

 

 

Read more via a press release (29 November 2022) online here

 

 

 

 

The disease risks of importing ova were highlighted just last week:

 

Salmon egg supplier Aquagen confirms ISA at Norwegian site @IntraFish https://t.co/PrjffDAIaZ
How many imported and domestically-grown salmon eggs in Scotland are infected with ISA? @scotgov @marinescotland @scotseafarms @MowiScotlandLtd @WeAreBenchmark @MairiGougeon

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 24, 2022

 

 

 

The Ferret reported in February 2019: 

 

 

You mean the statement that: "As a matter of precaution there should be a complete ban on ova imports, especially from companies like AquaGen with a dubious history of Infectious Salmon Anaemia"? https://t.co/JIBP89epEb pic.twitter.com/KSmJM3EvAZ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 14, 2019

 

 

 

The Ferret reported in February 2020:

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

Unsatisfactory Biosecurity: Disease Control 'Improvement' & 'Further Investigation' Required at Processing Plants Operated by Mowi & Loch Duart

Letter to Scottish Ministers: Please Close the Border to Imports of Salmon Ova, Parr & Smolts!

Iceland Still Importing Ova to 'Scottish' Salmon Farms Despite Disease Risks

Game Ova for Imports & Exports: Close the Borders to Stop the Spread of Diseases & Genetic Pollution!

Infectious Salmon Anaemia Reported at Landcatch’s Ormsary Hatchery in November – was ISA imported via infected salmon eggs (ova) from Iceland?

Stop the Scottish Salmondemic - please avoid disease-ridden farmed salmon like the proverbial plague!

ISA hits Scottish Sea Farms owner SalMar in Norway - how many hidden cases are lurking on salmon farms in Scotland?

Letter to Scottish Ministers calling for a ban on ova imports from Iceland

FOI Reveals Virus-Laden Salmon Slip Net & Into Scottish Waters

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

Letter to Scottish Ministers: "Bio-security Protocols & Safety Precautions re. Ova Imports"

Salmondemic Plagues Scotland

Virus-Laden Farmed Salmon - FOI reveals over half of samples test positive for Piscine Reovirus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can choose not to look & bully those who are, but there is no hiding from the growing evidence of impact of industrial salmon farm pathogen leakage. Here is how wild salmon see the BC coast...#fnpoli pic.twitter.com/DSzs53G8Hx

— Alexandra Morton Gwayum'dzi (@alex4salmon) December 9, 2022

 

 

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

Going Down the Drain: Photos of Mowi's blood water treatment at "highly offensive & polluting" processing plant in Fort William

 

 

Yet more public money is going down the drain to prop up the disease-ridden salmon farming industry. 

 

Bla bla bla - more public money down the drain! £2m grant for Mowi’s Blar Mhor processing centre @scotgov @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/1HmtNW4scy via @fishfarmermag

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 25, 2022

 

 

 

A Freedom of Information disclosure by the Scottish Government earlier this month (2 November 2022) fleshes out more nauseating details on how Mowi's processing plant in Fort William tackles the problem of waste disposal - with effluent discharge going down the drain to the local waste water treatment works in Caol with screened waste and sludge transported away to Energen Biogas in Glasgow and viscera transported to Pelagia in Shetland for further processing/ensiling:

 

 

 

 

 

The Scottish Government disclosed the following site photos, schematic and checklist:

 

 

 

 

Photos inside Mowi's "highly offensive & polluting" @ScottishEPA processing plant in Fort William Disinfected wastewater goes down the drain into public sewer to Caol. Viscera goes to Pelagia in Shetland @TavishScott & solid waste to Energen Biogas in Glasgow @Ferguson_TPT #Jobs pic.twitter.com/i7lBDlbSHS

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 5, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$camon Scotland reported last month (5 October 2022):

 

Unsatisfactory Biosecurity: Disease Control 'Improvement' & 'Further Investigation' Required at Processing Plants https://t.co/BRT7jIXPOi @MowiScotlandLtd @LochDuartSalmon
Is @ScotGovNetZero finally closing the net on infectious diseases, pathogens & viruses? @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/SdjnvJqpGt

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 5, 2022

 

 

 

The Fish Health Inspectorate sent Mowi a letter in June 2022 detailing "further investigation and improvement" to be implemented in order for the Blar Mhor processing plant in Fort William to be considered "satisfactory" (i.e. current biosecurity systems were unsatisfactory to deal with disease risks): 

 

 

Unsatisfactory Mowi: "The following areas require further investigation and improvement....biosecurity of vehicles enterering the facility including disinfection should be implemented" @scotgov @marinescotland @MowiScotlandLtd @APHAgovuk @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/BRT7jIXPOi pic.twitter.com/4c2866NKol

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 7, 2022

 

 

 

Additional 'Case Information' reported by the Fish Health Inspectorate relating to an inspection of  Mowi's Blar Mhor processing plant in May 2022 included:

 

 

 

Mowi's Blar Mhor processing plant has an appalling track record with Marine Harvest (renamed Mowi in 2019) fined £4,000 in 2005 for polluting the River Lochy with waste effluents - including fish viscera, blood and congealed fat deposits, scum and grease - following an investigation by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.   

 

 

 

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency reported in 2005:

 

“This was a serious incident. The discharge was of a highly offensive and polluting nature. Sewage fungus present in the River can smother the bed of a watercourse, and can damage invertebrates and insect life. Secondary problems associated with smell from decaying matter were also reported to SEPA.  The outfall to the River Lochy is immediately adjacent to a number of houses and Lochyside Primary School"

 

 

 

Fish Update reported in Juy 2005:

 

 

ENDS reported in July 2005:

 

 

 

The Sunday Herald reported in May 2006:

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Piscine Reovirus Ravages Scottish Salmon Farms - please follow the science in Canada & investigate the risks to wild fish in Scotland!

Unsatisfactory Biosecurity: Disease Control 'Improvement' & 'Further Investigation' Required at Processing Plants Operated by Mowi & Loch Duart

BBC News: "Scottish salmon farming petition signed by 30,500"

Shetland salmon packing factory leaks 'blood water' into sea

BBC Radio Shetland on Cooke's "untreated blood water" in Scotland

Press Release: "Cooke's Untreated Blood Water is "Gross" says SEPA - "Poor" processing plant pollutes Mid Yell Voe in Shetland"

Letter to SSPO re violation of Code of Practice by Cooke Aquaculture in Mid Yell Voe 25 Jan 2018

Letter to the Cabinet Secretary re. Cooke's violations of the Code of Practice to avoid ISA (26 January 2018)

Environmental Event report re. "raw effluent" and overflowing "blood water" at Cooke's Mid Yell processing plant - January 2017

Photo: Overflowing blood water and "raw effluent" from Cooke's processing plant into Mid Yell Voe

"Poor" SEPA Assessment for "gross" breach at Cooke's Mid Yell processing plant - August 2017

SEPA action points to Cooke "to prevent the overflow discharging untreated effluent directly to Mid Yell Voe" - August 2017

 

 

 

Norway-based salmon giant @MowiScotlandLtd has launched pre-packed consumer products at UK retail giant @asda - the Mowi range is also available @sainsburys @Tesco @Ocado & @AmazonFresh meaning it is now available in over 40% of the UK retail landscape https://t.co/jKfSe98Coy pic.twitter.com/nZVh0pHxPJ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

P&J: "Stink raised over release of toxic chemicals from sunken fish farm barge off Skye"

 

Press & Journal: "A sunken fish farm feed barge off the coast of Skye that gave off a noxious stink in August was emitting a potentially explosive mix of toxic chemicals, an activist has found" @pressjournal https://t.co/iaIkujfAV6 @briggsmarine @HighlandCouncil @Folketrygdfond

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 22, 2022

 

 

 

The Press & Journal reported (22 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the newspaper version as published on 23 November 2022:

 

 

"Sunk boat stink was toxic" reports today's @pressjournal @Erikkaburgh https://t.co/2wwhP9EGM0
Why weren't the public warned about "explosion" risk? @_KateForbes @fire_scot @PoliceScotland @NHSScotland @MCA_media @ScotlandSalmon @GaelForceGroup @marinescotland @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/qAv9qv9IO2

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 23, 2022

 

 

Last week (18 November 2022), $camon $cotland wrote to Scottish Ministers:

 

 

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb! @scotgov @_KateForbes @MairiMcAllan @scotgp @MairiGougeon @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/3bpKF35ry0 pic.twitter.com/1GMwl4Z8lH

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

Gael Force's Sinking Feeling: barges scuppered by bad weather or is the 'greed of feed' to blame?

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland - 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

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

 

 

 

Mooring a 400 tonne concrete barge at a salmon farm during Winter storms - then adding 350 tonnes of feed on board along with mort bins & machinery - is not an 'accident'. It's corporate negligence! https://t.co/ozYMwXghu6 @MCA_media @GaelForceGroup @ScotlandSalmon @ScottishEPA https://t.co/5hBCjKrodt pic.twitter.com/6AMjofTfll

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 21, 2022

 

 

 

 

Nothing to read in West Highland Free Press on the "explosive" gases which leaked from a salmon farm off Portree - reported @timesscotland @pressjournal @radio_skye @BBCHighlands @STVNews @IntraFish @salmonfarming1 but not @WHFP1 @paul_wood_whfp @KeithMacKenzie1 @_Adam_Gordon pic.twitter.com/eIyh0OlB6P

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 25, 2022

 

Gael Force's Sinking Feeling: barges scuppered by bad weather or is the 'greed of feed' to blame?

 

Mooring a 400 tonne concrete barge at a salmon farm during Winter storms - then adding 350 tonnes of feed on board along with mort bins & machinery - is not an 'accident'. It's corporate negligence! https://t.co/ozYMwXghu6 @MCA_media @GaelForceGroup @ScotlandSalmon @ScottishEPA https://t.co/5hBCjKrodt pic.twitter.com/6AMjofTfll

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 21, 2022

 

 

The operation of feed barges - storage units moored at salmon farms which are used to deliver pellets of food to farmed salmon - raises serious public safety and environmental issues.   In the wake of a spate of sinkings across Scotland (and Iceland), questions must now be asked of both barge manufacturers such as Gael Force and salmon farm operators such as Bakkafrost, Mowi and Grieg Seafood (Scottish Sea Farms).  

 

I'm hearing rumours that the SeaMate barge which sank off Portree during Storm Arwen in Nov 2021 was so top-heavy & the feed so unevenly distributed that it was a disaster waiting to happen. Is this true? @GaelForceGroup @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond @HighlandCouncil @Aon_UK https://t.co/FkW0GnE84E pic.twitter.com/uh6BpIegDA

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 22, 2022

 

 

 

Here's video footage overlooking two salmon farms operated by Bakkafrost (formerly known as The Scottish Salmon Company) off Portree on the Isle of Skye shot on a calm Summer day in September 2020 - notice the 400 tonne feed barge listing under the weight of the feed (ca. 350 tonnes were on board when it sank during Storm Arwen in November 2021), chemical containers, equipment, machinery and mort bins weighing down the floating structure:

 

 

 

The accident that’s been swept under the carpet. Answers please for Scotlands next generation. Why did it sink? Waiting?@NicolaSturgeon @Ianblackford_MP @alexmacinnessnp @BBCPanorama @FerretScot @PrivateEyeNews @BBCScotlandNews @WHFP1 @PressandJournal @NFUtweets @BankofScotBiz https://t.co/HCP5PYf0vR

— Jon Johnson (@Jonnynogaps) November 20, 2022

 

And here's a close-up of the overloaded barge shot from a boat in September 2020 - imagine this in the heavy winds and swells of Storm Arwen (the storm raging in November 2021 when the Gael Force barge sank to the bottom of Loch Portree/Sound of Raasay):

 

 

 

Sold as a state of the art barge and in a sheltered location compared with others…The Portree barge sank. Is there a design fault? Was it poorly maintained? Or was it not fit for purpose? I think we need some statement as to the root cause with the numbers of these out there. pic.twitter.com/VaMNrD34xm

— Jon Johnson (@Jonnynogaps) November 20, 2022

 

 

 

The feed barge looks like one of those overloaded tankers carrying hundreds of containers which you read about on the news sinking in bad weather:

 

 

 

 

Or one of those overloaded boats carrying too many people which inevitably keel over and sink:

 

 

 

 

With all the feed (ca. 350 tonnes according to FOI documents disclosed by the Scottish Government) and mort bins on board at the time of the barge sinking off Portree in November 2021, it was an 'accident' just waiting for bad Winter weather to happen (i.e. it was entirely foreseable and avoidable - anyone who has lived in Scotland knows that severe gales happen every year!).

 

 

 

 

This photo of a feed barge at Mowi's MacLean's Nose salmon farm in Loch Sunart illustrates the precarious nature of salmon farming:

 

Mowi feed barge at McLean’s Nose on Loch Sunart listing badly.

“Safety is core to what we do”

Their barges are sinking as fast as their reputation in Scotland. https://t.co/tGyLUM9MIo pic.twitter.com/bYY85UEVSs

— Salmon Scotland (@SalmonScotland) September 2, 2019

 

 

 

The Press & Journal reported in January 2019 on the sinking of a feed barge at a Mowi salmon farm off South Uist:

 

 

 

Salmon Business reported in January 2019:

 

 

 

Another feed barge sank off Uig in Loch Snizort on the Isle of Skye in 2017 - costing Grieg Seafood an estimated NOK 10 million (£921,000):

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported in March 2022 that the Gael Force feed barge was not salvaged until late 2021:

 

 

 

Here's a photo of the salvage operation by Ocean Kinetics:

 

 

 

More details on the salvage operation are contained in a report published by Marine Scotland:

 

 

 

In Iceland, the salvage of feed barge from under a salmon farm was featured on the news in August 2022 - including video footage of the salvage operation:

 

 

 

Here's Icelandic News on the feed barge sinking during storms in January 2021:

 

 

 

The Scottish Salmon Company (since renamed Bakkafrost) published a video via Friday Film Productions in 2018 showing off the new Gael Force feed barge off Portree (in the photo below - sourced from the video - you can see how close the town of Portree is to the salmon farm):

 

 

 

 

 

A video tour of a Gael Force SeaMate 400 tonne concrete feed barge destined for Mowi - understood to be similar to the one bought by Bakkafrost for their Portree salmon farm - is available online here:

 

 

 

 

 

The Scottish Salmon Company (renamed Bakkafrost Scotland in June 2022) were keen to trumpet the delivery in 2018 and launch of their 'sophisticated' 400 tonne SeaMate Gael Force feed barge in 2019: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stewart Graham, founder and managing director of Gael Force Group, told Fish Farming Expert in March 2019:

 

“The design and build of one of our most advanced feed barges along with an eight-line SeaFeed feeding system for SSC is yet another example of our commitment to innovate in this sector.

“The build epitomised the type of collaborative approach we like to take with our customers, and by doing this we ensured we addressed all SSC’s needs from the outset which will enable them to safely and sustainably grow their fish.”

 

 

 

Stewart Graham, managing director at Gael Force Group, said in January 2018:

 

“This new barge will be one of the most sophisticated of its kind in Scotland"

 

 

 

Here's photos of the 'sophisticated' Gael Force SeaMate feed barge sunk on the bottom of Loch Portree in December 2021 (obtained via FOI from the Scottish Government) - leaking the ca. 350 tonnes of feed on board which later during 2022 built up "explosive" levels of toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gases:

 

 

 

 

The barge building by Gael Force in Inverness apparently created 20 new jobs:

 

 

 

 

A similar SeaMate 350 tonne feed barge was delivered in 2020 to Organic Sea Harvest by Gael Force (who reported building "close to 100 feed barges" - it's not clear how many have sank):

 

 

 

 

Another 200 tonne SeaMate feed barge was delivered by Gael Force to Cooke Aquaculture in April 2022:

 

 

 

 

And Gael Force has built even bigger live-aboard SeaFarmBase 400 tonne concrete barges for Mowi in Eastern Canada:

 

 

 

 

 

 

How many of the 100 barges made by @GaelForceGroup have sunk? https://t.co/ozYMwXghu6
Is it corporate negligence to moor a 400 T concrete barge at a fish farm during Winter storms & add another 400 T in feed & equipment? @Folketrygdfond @ScotlandSalmon @Aon_UK @SM_MarineIns pic.twitter.com/PSwrWB9ctI

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 21, 2022

 

 

 

The operation of feed barges at salmon farms can sometimes go tragically wrong - as was the case at Mowi's Ardintoul salmon farm in February 2020 when Mowi worker Clive Hendry was crushed to death between a feed barge and a Mowi workboat:

 

Mowi has blood on its hands over the horrific death of Clive Hendry - how much will Mowi be fined for negligence? @ScotlandMowi @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/55xO0wiiy3 @maibgovuk @H_S_E @GreenerScotland @WHFP1 @pressjournal @IntraFishNorge @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP #Mowi pic.twitter.com/nfpEboInpn

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) May 26, 2021

 

 

 

The Daily Mirror reported (26 May 2021):

 

 

 

STV News reported in May 2021:

 

Safety recommendations for salmon farming giant after death.https://t.co/DY73Tk0f0p

— STV News (@STVNews) May 26, 2021

 

 

 

Read the Marine Accident Investigation Branch's damning report published in May 2021:

 

 

 

Clive Hendry's widow is taking legal action against Mowi for corporate negligence and is championing the vital public issue of safety at work: 

 

"It haunts me that Clive could have been saved if marine laws were tightened so that big companies put their staff’s lives before profit" says Catriona Lockhart "I am here today to fight like hell for the living" @ScottishHazards @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/OXPPzlDOv2 pic.twitter.com/qTALvcAhlb

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 29, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

The West Highland Free Press reported (29 April 2022):

 

 

 

The Times reported in November 2021:

 

 

 

The Times on @MowiScotlandLtd being sued by the widow of worker Clive Hendry who was killed at a salmon farm in Loch Alsh (Mowi were found negligent by a damning @maibgovuk report) @thetimes https://t.co/iNemRUqcBy @ScottishHazards @MCA_media @H_S_E @_KateForbes @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/WYRzhLCT1b

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 23, 2021

 

 

The 'greed of feed' by Mowi, Bakkafrost and other salmon farming giants demands greater scrutiny. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported earlier this month (8 November 2022):

 

"Explosive" FOI disclosure @ScottishEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Co (Bakkafrost) off Skye! https://t.co/ZuJ147DRec
Hydrogen Sulphide detected at 55,000 ppm "which puts the gas into explosive range" @ScotlandSalmon @GaelForceGroup @_KateForbes @MairiMcAllan pic.twitter.com/oBbuHr430j

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 8, 2022

 

 

 

Last week (18 November 2022), $camon $cotland wrote to Scottish Ministers:

 

 

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb! @scotgov @_KateForbes @MairiMcAllan @scotgp @MairiGougeon @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/3bpKF35ry0 pic.twitter.com/1GMwl4Z8lH

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

 

 

The Times reported (17 November 2022):

 

Today's Times newspaper: "Secret plans were drawn up for residents to be evacuated from one of Scotland’s most popular tourist destinations amid fears that a sunken barge could explode and spew toxic gases towards the shore, it has emerged" @timesscotland https://t.co/kKcietvNSf

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

$camon $cotland first broke the news in August 2022 following a tip-off from a whistleblower in Portree:

 

 

Breaking News: potentially lethal toxic gasses leaking from a sunken feed barge at Bakkafrost salmon farm off Portree suspend salvage operation with 24 hour guard & exclusion zone @briggsmarine
Why has the public not been informed of the risks? @ScottishEPA @MairiMcAllan @H_S_E pic.twitter.com/avM09qC0Yp

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 30, 2022

 

 

Tip-off re. Bakkafrost off Portree: "Their feed barge sank end of last year...a few weeks ago divers [trying to raise it]...stopped as there was found to be very high levels of toxic gasses....this has lead to an exclusion zone....there is a 24hr guard"
True? @ScottishEPA pic.twitter.com/sus4ZLFyqh

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 29, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland - 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

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

 

 

Why was no public warning issued to tourists, kayakers, swimmers, walkers, cruise ships, yachts, divers & residents endangered by the 'Toxic Threat Zone' off Portree? https://t.co/t1ux69sVwH @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @PortreeHigh @fire_scot @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/egBccWciAV

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

Why was the public not warned about "explosive" toxic gases leaking off Skye? Surely tourists in Portree, walkers along the coastal path near the salmon farm, kayakers, swimmers & divers should have been warned? @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @scotgov @HighlandCouncil @fire_scot https://t.co/DTfPoW0OTT pic.twitter.com/t2lu9ALauz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

Like all accidents, we get to hear what went wrong & who pays for the mess? Is there tax payers money being spent to cover the cracks? Regulatory bodies working on this for free? Money to support overseas companies polluting? Money to hide ineptitude,poor practice, poor training? pic.twitter.com/NuIk2oO4t5

— Jon Johnson (@Jonnynogaps) November 21, 2022

 

 

 

Did the last person to leave the Portree feed barge forget to close the hatch? @GaelForceGroup @Folketrygdfond @ScotlandSalmon @Aon_UK
Remember when the Herald of Free Enterprise sank after the bosun forgot to close the bow doors? @Ianblackford_MP @_KateForbes @Jamie_m_young https://t.co/I1qijJfsyi pic.twitter.com/oZk7aCc6ct

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 22, 2022

 

Wester Ross Scamon - Photos Expose RSPCA Assured's 'Ethical' & 'Sustainable' Salmon!

 

Beware of Wester Ross's "Ethical" & "Sustainable" salmon scam - branded as 'welfare-friendly' @rspcaassured but owned by Norwegian giant @MowiScotlandLtd
Photos taken @scotgov showing Salmon Gill Poxvirus, epitheliocystis, Amoebic Gill Disease & 50,000 morts @WesterRossSalmo pic.twitter.com/SvthqMOYiG

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 19, 2022

 

 

Here's a report from the Fish Health Inspectorate relating to an inspection of Wester Ross's Ardmair salmon farm in August 2022 - published by the Scottish Government on 15 November 2022 - detailing Amoebic Gill Disease, Salmon  Gill Poxvirus, Vibrio, vascular disturbance, epitheliocystis (likely Brachiomonas sp.), multifocal hepatic necrosis, peritonitis (potentially associated with vaccine administration), Paranucleospora theridion, Neoparamoeba perurans, anaemic hearts, anorexic bodies and over 50,000 mortalities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quiz Question: Which @rspcaassured 'boutique' salmon farm in Wester Ross are these absolute beauties sourced from? https://t.co/2sBrJXdrlL
With added Epitheliocystis, Salmon gill poxvirus, hepatic necrosis, Paranucleospora theridion & Neoparamoeba perurans (amoebic gill disease) pic.twitter.com/IPj5jnsGrP

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

 

In September 2022, a report published by $camon $cotland exposed the mortality problems at Wester Ross Salmon (bought by Norwegian giant Mowi in July 2022):

 

 

Wester Ross claim to grow salmon "second to none" with "unparalleled stewardship" https://t.co/ML7Rwd9WEk
Judged by their high mortality rates @WesterRossSalmo they are certainly up there with the worst of the worst! @ScotlandSalmon @MowiScotlandLtd @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/ETesWH0Spy

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 27, 2022

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch filmed a cess-pits of morts at Wester Ross in 2018:

 

 

 

 

And empty chemical containers (like beer cans strewn all over the ground after a big night out):

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Exclusive: New Photos Expose Gruesome Not 'Responsible' Mowi Salmon!

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

'Salmon Shame': An eye-opening video that exposes the horrors of open-net salmon farming in Scotland!

Photos Expose Ongoing Welfare Abuse at RSPCA Assured Salmon Farms!

Seaspiracy 2: Mowi's Disease & Welfare Nightmare in Loch Linnhe!

Cooke's Organic Scamon Exposed by Gruesome Photos from Orkney - RSPCA Assured Ouseness Oozes Welfare Abuse!

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

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

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

The Camera Never Lies About Scottish Salmon!

RSPCA Assured Mowi Plagued by Mass Mortalities & Infectious Diseases on Skye

Be Sure to Boycott RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon - Shocking New Photos Published of Mowi's North Shore Feedlot in Loch Erisort!

Photo Dossier of Diseased, Deformed & Abused Scottish Salmon

Maaey day for the Scottish Salmon Company

Ground-truthing disease-ridden Scottish salmon

Mowi's Welfare Nightmare on Rum - "blind", "physical damage", "anorexic" & over 40,000 dead fish!

EXPOSED: Photo Disclosures Opens Floodgates to More Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon

Scottish Government rejects industry pleas on sick salmon photos

Mmmm Blind Scottish Salmon with Boils, Anyone?

Meet Pop-Eye the Scottish Salmon - Tortured by an Optilicer!

Cardiac Disease Arrests Mowi in Kingairloch

Salmon firms bid to block diseased photos

REVEALED: Legal Threats to Prevent Publication of Damning Photographs

FOI Dossier: Photographs of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon - Scottish Government FOI disclosure despite legal threats from Scottish Sea Farms & The Scottish Salmon Company

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (August 2018)

FOI Disclosure 18-02235: Photos of Scottish Sea Farms

FOI Disclosure 18-01782: Photos of The Scottish Salmon Company and others

Horror photos of farmed salmon spark legal threat

EXPOSED: Gruesome Photos of Deformed & Diseased Scottish Salmon

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (June 2018)

 

 

 

Edie Bowles @Animallawyersuk said the dossier, compiled by Don Staniford, a critic of salmon farming, indicated “systemic and obvious” pain & suffering that could justify legal action against @scotgov @MairiGougeon @SSPOsays https://t.co/ZuzAis8gEr @SundayTimesScot @ciwf @scotgp pic.twitter.com/RPVIAL3KlS

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 2, 2020

 

Exposed: Loch Duart's RSPCA Assured 'Healthy' Salmon (packed with viruses, diseases & bacteria)!

 

Anyone for @rspcaassured Loch Duart salmon fresh from Loch Laxford? Comes with Salmon Gill Poxvirus, Heart & Skeletal inflammation, Piscine reovirus, hyperplasic branchitis, vascular disturbance, haemorrhage & Bacterial dermatitis @LochDuartSalmon @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/qMbkN2bn4t

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

Here's a Fish Health Inspectorate report relating to an inspection in August 2022 of Loch Duart's RSPCA Assured salmon farm in Loch Laxford - published by the Scottish Government on 15 November 2022:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teaser for Tomorrow: Which @rspcaassured salmon farm are these 'welfare friendly' fish sourced from? Photos taken by inspectors @marinescotland https://t.co/2sBrJXdrlL
The fish tested positive for Salmon Gill Poxvirus, Salmonid alphavirus & Piscine reovirus @LochDuartSalmon pic.twitter.com/8yOMKXwGOk

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported in October 2022:

 

The Worst of the Worst @ScotlandSalmon - headed by 55.9% mortality in September @LochDuartSalmon in Loch Carnan: that's over half the fish dying in 30 days!!https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI
But don't worry, Loch Duart is @rspcaassured - nothing to see here! https://t.co/UzZDt5a2qZ #RSPCA pic.twitter.com/6KKtrNoIsq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

 

In September 2022, a report published by $camon $cotland highlighted Loch Duart's mortality problems:

 

Loch Duart's marketing slogan is "unrivalled Scottish salmon" (it used to be "the Sustainable Salmon Company" but that was dropped after @ASA_UK invervention) - 50.3% mortality @rspcaassured in the Sound of Harris beats most of their rivals for sure! @ScotlandSalmon @RSPCAChris pic.twitter.com/YKdu04E3Dg

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 27, 2022

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported in September 2022:

 

Mmm - yummy looking "unrivalled" Scottish salmon "With a natural as possible diet & space to swim, each fish grows fitter & healthier every day" claims @LochDuartSalmon https://t.co/OxXxkqxHPh
Err...except unhealthy fish from farms with mortality rates over 25%! @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/f50gytF6TQ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 28, 2022

 

 

 

Back in April 2019, The Ferret reported that the Advertising Standards Agency forced Loch Duart to drop the word 'sustainable' from their branding:

 

 

 

 

In 2018, Loch Duart was ranked the worst salmon farming company in Scotland for animal welfare by OneKind:

 

 

 

Watch a BBC report from October 2018 on how Loch Duart's 'cleaner fish' supplier was caught catching fish in a 'No Take Zone' (leading to the suspension of the supplier):

 

 

 

Read more via:

Exclusive: New Photos Expose Gruesome Not 'Responsible' Mowi Salmon!

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

'Salmon Shame': An eye-opening video that exposes the horrors of open-net salmon farming in Scotland!

Photos Expose Ongoing Welfare Abuse at RSPCA Assured Salmon Farms!

Seaspiracy 2: Mowi's Disease & Welfare Nightmare in Loch Linnhe!

Cooke's Organic Scamon Exposed by Gruesome Photos from Orkney - RSPCA Assured Ouseness Oozes Welfare Abuse!

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

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

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

The Camera Never Lies About Scottish Salmon!

RSPCA Assured Mowi Plagued by Mass Mortalities & Infectious Diseases on Skye

Be Sure to Boycott RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon - Shocking New Photos Published of Mowi's North Shore Feedlot in Loch Erisort!

Photo Dossier of Diseased, Deformed & Abused Scottish Salmon

Maaey day for the Scottish Salmon Company

Ground-truthing disease-ridden Scottish salmon

Mowi's Welfare Nightmare on Rum - "blind", "physical damage", "anorexic" & over 40,000 dead fish!

EXPOSED: Photo Disclosures Opens Floodgates to More Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon

Scottish Government rejects industry pleas on sick salmon photos

Mmmm Blind Scottish Salmon with Boils, Anyone?

Meet Pop-Eye the Scottish Salmon - Tortured by an Optilicer!

Cardiac Disease Arrests Mowi in Kingairloch

Salmon firms bid to block diseased photos

REVEALED: Legal Threats to Prevent Publication of Damning Photographs

FOI Dossier: Photographs of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon - Scottish Government FOI disclosure despite legal threats from Scottish Sea Farms & The Scottish Salmon Company

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (August 2018)

FOI Disclosure 18-02235: Photos of Scottish Sea Farms

FOI Disclosure 18-01782: Photos of The Scottish Salmon Company and others

Horror photos of farmed salmon spark legal threat

EXPOSED: Gruesome Photos of Deformed & Diseased Scottish Salmon

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (June 2018)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exclusive: New Photos Expose Gruesome Not 'Responsible' ASC-Certified Mowi Salmon!

 

The truth about Mowi's @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua Scottish salmon: "The right eye was absent in fish #1 & exophthalmia was observed on fish #3. Lesions were visible on the flank & head of fish #5 & lice were observed on all fish"https://t.co/t5ivp3Co12
Photos published by @scotgov https://t.co/JfzwfyOklB pic.twitter.com/hOuEme9ww1

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

Here's a Fish Health Inspectorate report relating to an inspection in September 2022 of Mowi's ASC-certified and RSPCA Assured salmon farm at Stulaigh off South Uist - published by the Scottish Government on 15 November 2022:

 

Mystery Fish Competition: which @ASC_aqua & @rspcaassured salmon farm are these disease-ridden & lice-infested fish sourced from? @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/2sBrJXdrlL
Clue: you can find them in @sainsburys @Tesco @LidlGB @AldiUK marketed as "farmed responsibly" @ASA_UK pic.twitter.com/Cx08i27DBA

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a Fish Health Inspectorate report relating to an inspection in March 2022 for Mowi's RSPCA Assured Kingairloch salmon farm in Loch a Choire/Loch Linnhe (the report was just slipped out by the Scottish Government on 15 November 2022):

 

You need your head examined if you're still buying 'responsibly sourced' Scottish salmon - here's photos published this week by the Scottish Government @marinescotland @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/2sBrJXdrlL
This Mowi salmon farm is shamefully certified via @rspcaassured #Mowi pic.twitter.com/XRs0yHacUX

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No wonder Mowi's PR people do not want the public from viewing such stomach-churning images (Marine Harvest was renamed Mowi in 2019 due to 'negative perception' in the name Marine Harvest).

 

Mowi: "the risk of people turning away from a healthy food such as salmon as a reaction to irresponsible use of photos for the sole purpose of creating fear in the consumer, is a risk to public health" https://t.co/u9Fk2kOkxz @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @FergusEwingMSP pic.twitter.com/M3AyD3jMTm

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 24, 2019

 

 

 

 

Thankfully for consumers, the Scottish Government ignored Mowi's protestations - and legal arguments against disclosure from lawyers representing Norskott Havbruk (Scottish Sea Farms) and The Scottish Salmon Company (now called Bakkafrost Scotland) - and the floodgates have been opened to more and more gruesome photos.

 

Teaser for tomorrow: which feedlot is this 'responsibly farmed' salmon sourced from?
Clue - it's certified as welfare & environmentally friendly by @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua
Correct answers win a prize - employees @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon are banned from participating pic.twitter.com/2SafRChEHp

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 23, 2022

 

 

RSPCA Assured Mowi Plagued by Mass Mortalities & Infectious Diseases https://t.co/vxZTjE37qA Boycott disease-ridden Scottish salmon treated with antibiotics @MowiScotlandLtd @rspcaassured @sainsburys @LidlGB @AldiUK Enteric Redmouth Disease (Yersiniosis) is like the Black Death! pic.twitter.com/Rry8Y5vFvq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) May 27, 2020

 

 

Be Sure to Boycott RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon! https://t.co/61yIroIUBp Shocking new photos published of Mowi's disease-ridden North Shore feedlot in Loch Erisort @marinescotland @MowiScotlandLtd "visibly moribund fish" & "significant lice damage" @sainsburys @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/gjLaeqpcFz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 7, 2020

 

 

 

Moribund Mowi: "At the time of the visit moribund fish & some floating mortalities were observed in all cages" @marinescotland https://t.co/qr0tO3BMVR 73,459 morts (3,221 due to concussions from increased Caligus burdens), Salmon Gill Poxvirus, AGD & Anaemia @MowiScotlandLtd pic.twitter.com/GulKfO5p5z

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 27, 2020

 

 

 

Read more via:

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

'Salmon Shame': An eye-opening video that exposes the horrors of open-net salmon farming in Scotland!

Photos Expose Ongoing Welfare Abuse at RSPCA Assured Salmon Farms!

Seaspiracy 2: Mowi's Disease & Welfare Nightmare in Loch Linnhe!

Cooke's Organic Scamon Exposed by Gruesome Photos from Orkney - RSPCA Assured Ouseness Oozes Welfare Abuse!

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

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

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

The Camera Never Lies About Scottish Salmon!

RSPCA Assured Mowi Plagued by Mass Mortalities & Infectious Diseases on Skye

Be Sure to Boycott RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon - Shocking New Photos Published of Mowi's North Shore Feedlot in Loch Erisort!

Photo Dossier of Diseased, Deformed & Abused Scottish Salmon

Maaey day for the Scottish Salmon Company

Ground-truthing disease-ridden Scottish salmon

Mowi's Welfare Nightmare on Rum - "blind", "physical damage", "anorexic" & over 40,000 dead fish!

EXPOSED: Photo Disclosures Opens Floodgates to More Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon

Scottish Government rejects industry pleas on sick salmon photos

Mmmm Blind Scottish Salmon with Boils, Anyone?

Meet Pop-Eye the Scottish Salmon - Tortured by an Optilicer!

Cardiac Disease Arrests Mowi in Kingairloch

Salmon firms bid to block diseased photos

REVEALED: Legal Threats to Prevent Publication of Damning Photographs

FOI Dossier: Photographs of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon - Scottish Government FOI disclosure despite legal threats from Scottish Sea Farms & The Scottish Salmon Company

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (August 2018)

FOI Disclosure 18-02235: Photos of Scottish Sea Farms

FOI Disclosure 18-01782: Photos of The Scottish Salmon Company and others

Horror photos of farmed salmon spark legal threat

EXPOSED: Gruesome Photos of Deformed & Diseased Scottish Salmon

Hard Evidence: Photos of Diseased & Deformed Scottish Salmon (June 2018)

 

 

EXPOSED: Photos of diseased salmon taken by @scotgov health inspectors at visits to farms - how can such abuse be marketed as "responsible" & 'welfare-friendly'? @rspcaassured @ScotlandSalmon @SoilAssociation @SoilAssocScot @ASC_aqua @scotgp @ciwf @onekindtweet @Animallawyersuk pic.twitter.com/NEFMuk504z

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 28, 2022

 

 

 

Edie Bowles @Animallawyersuk said the dossier, compiled by Don Staniford, a critic of salmon farming, indicated “systemic and obvious” pain & suffering that could justify legal action against @scotgov @MairiGougeon @SSPOsays https://t.co/ZuzAis8gEr @SundayTimesScot @ciwf @scotgp pic.twitter.com/RPVIAL3KlS

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 2, 2020

 

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!

 

 

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb! @scotgov @_KateForbes @MairiMcAllan @scotgp @MairiGougeon @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/3bpKF35ry0 pic.twitter.com/1GMwl4Z8lH

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

Here's a letter to Scottish Ministers from $camon $cotland (18 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 37-page letter concludes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Download the letter to Scottish Ministers from $camon $cotland (18 November 2022) in full online here

 

 

Why was no public warning issued to tourists, kayakers, swimmers, walkers, cruise ships, yachts, divers & residents endangered by the 'Toxic Threat Zone' off Portree? https://t.co/t1ux69sVwH @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @PortreeHigh @fire_scot @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/egBccWciAV

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

Why was the public not warned about "explosive" toxic gases leaking off Skye? Surely tourists in Portree, walkers along the coastal path near the salmon farm, kayakers, swimmers & divers should have been warned? @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @scotgov @HighlandCouncil @fire_scot https://t.co/DTfPoW0OTT pic.twitter.com/t2lu9ALauz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland - 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

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

 

 

Burning Question: A Risk Assessment by HAZMAT emergency responders Vanderpers highlighted a 'High' risk of exposure to the public from toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gas & 'Low' risk of "exposure to explosion" in Portree https://t.co/3x9UugzrFs
Why the f*** was there no public warning? pic.twitter.com/hZNPbey74T

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

 

When "explosive" Hydrogen Sulphide gases at 55,000 ppm were detected in August off Portree the authorities planned for a 'worst case scenario' & emergency response due to explosion risk. Yet they failed to issue a public warning! @fire_scot @PoliceScotland @NHSScotland @scotgov pic.twitter.com/FNI1ya2Mld

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

ADDENDUM:

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Nov 18, 2022 at 9:28 AM
Subject: Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "explosive" feed barge off Portree
To: <scottish.ministers@gov.scot>
Cc: <public.relations@mcga.gov.uk>, <infoline@mcga.gov.uk>, <ian.blackford.mp@parliament.uk>, John Finlayson (Councillor) <john.finlayson.cllr@highland.gov.uk>, Calum Munro (Councillor) <calum.munro.cllr@highland.gov.uk>, Drew Millar (Councillor) <Drew.Millar.cllr@highland.gov.uk>, Ruraidh Stewart (Councillor) <Ruraidh.Stewart.cllr@highland.gov.uk>, <chief.executive@highland.gov.uk>, <SFRS.Media@firescotland.gov.uk>, <sar.response@mcga.gov.uk>, Media <publicrelations@sepa.org.uk>, <marinepollution@nature.scot>, <ms.spillresponse@gov.scot>, <hpt.highland@nhs.scot>, <murdo.macaulay@mca.gov.uk>, <n.dundeecontrol@firescotland.gov.uk>, <navigation@nlb.org.uk>, <zone36@hmcg.gov.uk>, <enquiries@crownestatescotland.com>, Forbes K (Kate), MSP <Kate.Forbes.msp@parliament.scot>, <scc.mail@sepa.org.uk>, spillresponse@marlab.ac.uk <spillresponse@marlab.ac.uk>, <alert@maib.gov.uk>, <emergency.planning@highland.gov.uk>, <HQ_counterpollution@mcga.gov.uk>, <HQ_SOSrep@mcga.gov.uk>, <ahsh@sepa.org.uk>

 

Please find attached a letter to Scottish Ministers.

 

The letter can also be downloaded online here

 

It's also online via: Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon - Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!

 

And via Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheGAAIA/status/1593536063930339329

 

More details in yesterday's Times newspaper via:

 

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

 

 

Read more via:

 

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

 

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

 

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

 

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

 

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

 

 

Thanks,

 

Don Staniford

 

$camon $cotland

 

The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"

 

Today's Times newspaper: "Secret plans were drawn up for residents to be evacuated from one of Scotland’s most popular tourist destinations amid fears that a sunken barge could explode and spew toxic gases towards the shore, it has emerged" @timesscotland https://t.co/kKcietvNSf

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

The Times reported (17 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

The documents were obtained by Don Staniford, an environmental & anti-fish farming campaigner. “Despite known safety concerns & discussions of emergency responses no public warnings were issued,” he said @timesscotland https://t.co/kKcietvNSf@HighlandCouncil @MCA_media @scotgov

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 18, 2022

 

 

Radio Skye reported (17 November 2022):

 

 

"FOI requests reveal worst case scenario planning for Portree fish farm Hydrogen Sulphide leak" reported @radio_skye "Radio Skye has contacted Bakkafrost for comment, but has yet to receive a reply" https://t.co/FTXtVTCSJ5 @Folketrygdfond @ScotlandSalmon @HighlandCouncil pic.twitter.com/rmtTcP0d7n

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland - 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

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

 

 

Why was no public warning issued to tourists, kayakers, swimmers, walkers, cruise ships, yachts, divers & residents endangered by the 'Toxic Threat Zone' off Portree? https://t.co/t1ux69sVwH @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @PortreeHigh @fire_scot @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/egBccWciAV

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

Risk Assessment Highlighted 'High' Risk of Exposure to Public from Toxic Hydrogen Sulphide Gases - Why the f*ck was there no public warning?

 

Why was no public warning issued to tourists, kayakers, swimmers, walkers, cruise ships, yachts, divers & residents endangered by the 'Toxic Threat Zone' off Portree? https://t.co/t1ux69sVwH @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @PortreeHigh @fire_scot @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/egBccWciAV

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

Here's a Risk Assessment from Vanderpers Maritime dated 16 August 2022 in relation to the risk of exposure to the public from toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gas and public risk of exposure to explosion from a sunken feed barge at Bakkafrost's salmon farm off Portree on the Isle of Skye:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burning Question: A Risk Assessment by HAZMAT emergency responders Vanderpers highlighted a 'High' risk of exposure to the public from toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gas & 'Low' risk of "exposure to explosion" in Portree https://t.co/3x9UugzrFs
Why the f*** was there no public warning? pic.twitter.com/hZNPbey74T

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

 

Download the 17-page report in full online here

 

 

Here's the only public statement I can find issued by Highland Council - not a public warning but a "message of resassurance" to allay concerns from Portree residents after a BBC News story @BBCIainMac @BBCHighlands @BBCScotHighland @cllrjfinlayson @_KateForbes @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/tTmUiODzDE

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

$camon $cotland revealed on Monday (14 November 2022):

 

"Should the barge explode mitigations are in place to protect public health" wrote @marinescotland in August with Portree High School named as a rest centre “should the gas come to shore” & @HighlandCouncil as an ‘emergency response centre’ @fire_scot @ScotlandSalmon @_KateForbes pic.twitter.com/hzAmECN4bx

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

When "explosive" Hydrogen Sulphide gases at 55,000 ppm were detected in August off Portree the authorities planned for a 'worst case scenario' & emergency response due to explosion risk. Yet they failed to issue a public warning! @fire_scot @PoliceScotland @NHSScotland @scotgov pic.twitter.com/FNI1ya2Mld

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

Why was the public not warned about "explosive" toxic gases leaking off Skye? Surely tourists in Portree, walkers along the coastal path near the salmon farm, kayakers, swimmers & divers should have been warned? @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @scotgov @HighlandCouncil @fire_scot https://t.co/DTfPoW0OTT pic.twitter.com/t2lu9ALauz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

Questions are now being asked why Bakkafrost (called The Scottish Salmon Company until June 2022) continued to operate their farm off Portree whilst toxic gases were leaking underwater.

 

Did @FSScot stop the sale of salmon from the site of the toxic gas leak?@HighlandCouncil @foodgov @FoodUnwrappedTV @foodanddrinksco https://t.co/qEIFUzxqx1 pic.twitter.com/t4EFEzAXR6

— Salmon Scotland (@SalmonScotland) November 16, 2022

 

 

$almoney: Instead of pumping feed out of sunken barge - which is "extremely expensive" - Norwegian/Faroese giant Bakkafrost left it to rot on the seabed for nearly a year & continued to farm salmon off Portree precipitating "explosive" levels of toxic gas https://t.co/ETYEv0SntC pic.twitter.com/IThNzKgDel

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

Data published by Salmon Scotland shows that Bakkafrost farmed salmon at their Portree site until June 2022:

 

 

 

Data @ScotlandSalmon shows Bakkafrost continued to farm salmon above the leaking feed barge off Portree until June 2022 - that's a six month toxic marinade after the sinking in Nov 2021. It puts a whole new spin on smoked & flame-grilled Scottish salmon! https://t.co/SoNPFvPXOA pic.twitter.com/vcdOsDW0iM

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

How long will Bakkafrost's sunken feed barge remain rotting on the bottom of Loch Portree and when will Bakkafrost report the financial fallout from the sinking and clusterfuck of a salvage operation to their shareholders and the Norwegian stock exchange (Bakkafrost's largest shareholder is the Norwegian Government)?

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 14, 2022 at 5:09 AM
Subject: Re: Toxic Gasses at Bakkafrost Scotland?
To: <toda@bakkafrost.com>, <sasi@bakkafrost.com>, <ruw@havsbrun.fo>, <reja@bakkafrost.com>
Cc: <dougie.macleod@scottishsalmon.com>

 

Further to $camon Scotland's email of 30 August 2022 (still unanswered), could you please provide an update on the state of the salvage operation off Portree including any public/environmental risks arising from leaking toxic gases?

 

When will Bakkafrost be reporting the financial costs of the salvage operation to the Oslo stock exchange (I understand there are disclosure rules under the Norwegian Securities Trading Act) and Bakkafrost shareholders (the largest being the Norwegian Government as represented by Folketrygdfondet)?

 

Documents obtained via FOI detail the "explosive" nature of Bakkafrost's feed barge, the public risks from explosion (Hydrogen Sulphide toxic gases were found in August at 55,000 ppm - levels within the "explosive range") and legal action between Bakkafrost and Briggs Marine (which presumably adds to the costs):

 

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

 

An update would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Don Staniford

 

$camon $cotland

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 30, 2022 at 12:52 PM
Subject: Toxic Gasses at Bakkafrost Scotland?
To: <toda@bakkafrost.com>, <sasi@bakkafrost.com>, <ruw@havsbrun.fo>, <reja@bakkafrost.com>
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?

 

Details via: Toxic Gasses Spew From The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost Scotland) Off Portree?

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

Whilst Grieg Seafood reported the NOK 10 million (£921K) financial fallout from a sunken feed barge off the Isle of Skye to shareholders & the Norwegian stock exchange, here's the public disclosure thus far by Bakkafrost @Folketrygdfond @osloboers @NFdep @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/6SE5PcCK1U pic.twitter.com/rmwbQc2zd3

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

Note that the salvage of a feed barge in Loch Dunvegan [correction: Loch Snizort] on the Isle of Skye by Grieg Seafood cost ca. £1 million (and there was no feed reported in the sunken barge):

 

In Q1 2018, Grieg Seafood reported financial losses of NOK 10 million (£921,000) due to raising a sunken feed barge in Loch Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye @GriegShetland https://t.co/vWhNUISwmL
The feed barge sank in 2017 but was not raised until late 2021 https://t.co/Cef3o2IuK8

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

 

 

A Risk Assessment of a feed barge recovery in Loch Dunvegan - salvaged in 2021 - was published @marinescotland @OceanKinetics @AquaterraEnergy
The salvage cost @GriegShetland NOK 10 million (£921K) @scotseafarms
When will @scotgov public the Risk Assessment for Portree salvage? pic.twitter.com/WjHxHAsOPK

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

 

 

 

The Price of $cottish $almon: When a feed barge sank in Loch Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye in 2017 it cost @GriegShetland NOK 10 million (£921,000) @scotseafarms https://t.co/vWhNUISwmL
How much will the salvage of a feed barge off Portree cost? @Folketrygdfond @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/BLiPnZzZ2T

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

Read more via:

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland - 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

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

 

 

 

 

 

$almafia 101: "Explosive" gas found at salmon farm with 'Toxic Threat Zone' mapped off Portree yet government agencies stay silent #Omerta
Then following @BBCScotlandNews story which prompts concerns from residents, @HighlandCouncil issue 'message of reassurance' @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/RPj7mxKeYW

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

 

When "explosive" gases were found at 55,000 ppm under a salmon farm off Portree, Bakkafrost emailed late on a Friday afternoon & then "tried to call a few numbers" on Saturday. "Both [redacted] & myself have been available all weekend & have no missed calls?" said @MCA_media pic.twitter.com/wYcp31x8uK

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 17, 2022

 

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

 

 

 

Here's a media backgrounder issued by $camon $cotland (14 November 2022) - including:

 

 

"Should the barge explode mitigations are in place to protect public health" wrote @marinescotland in August with Portree High School named as a rest centre “should the gas come to shore” & @HighlandCouncil as an ‘emergency response centre’ @fire_scot @ScotlandSalmon @_KateForbes pic.twitter.com/hzAmECN4bx

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

 

When "explosive" Hydrogen Sulphide gases at 55,000 ppm were detected in August off Portree the authorities planned for a 'worst case scenario' & emergency response due to explosion risk. Yet they failed to issue a public warning! @fire_scot @PoliceScotland @NHSScotland @scotgov pic.twitter.com/FNI1ya2Mld

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why was the public not warned about "explosive" toxic gases leaking off Skye? Surely tourists in Portree, walkers along the coastal path near the salmon farm, kayakers, swimmers & divers should have been warned? @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @scotgov @HighlandCouncil @fire_scot https://t.co/DTfPoW0OTT pic.twitter.com/t2lu9ALauz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

EXPLOSIVE WARNING: "A gas sample was collected directly from the sunken barge & analysed by a Marine Chemist which provided the results of H2S in concentrations of 55,000 ppm which puts the gas into explosive range" @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon @MCA_media https://t.co/ZuJ147UUgc pic.twitter.com/L2VvtEnOWx

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 8, 2022

 

 

Read the media backgrounder in full online here

 

 

I am personally sick to the stomach of the Scottish Government riding roughshod over public safety - please stop protecting the toxic salmon farming industry from public scrutiny! @theSNP @scotgov @ScottishLabour @_KateForbes @MairiMcAllan @ArianeBurgessHI https://t.co/ETYEv0RPE4 pic.twitter.com/vU1tMGQ9YP

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

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

 

 

"Explosive" FOI disclosure @ScottishEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Co (Bakkafrost) off Skye! https://t.co/ZuJ147DRec
Hydrogen Sulphide detected at 55,000 ppm "which puts the gas into explosive range" @ScotlandSalmon @GaelForceGroup @_KateForbes @MairiMcAllan pic.twitter.com/oBbuHr430j

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 8, 2022

 

 

 

Here's drone footage of the Portree salmon farms shot in August 2022 with the 24 hour guard boat patrolling the exclusion zone around the site:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch visited the salmon farms off Portree (Loch Portree/Torvaig and Outer Portree) in November 2019 - with the feed barge visible (it was only launched in September 2018):

 

 

 

 

 

ADDENDUM:

 

From: Briggs Marine <enquiries@briggsmarine.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 14, 2022 at 9:46 AM
Subject: Re: FOI documents on Portree feed barge
To: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>

Erica Skoukine (Briggs Marine) 14 Nov 2022, 09:46 GMT Hi Don,   Briggs Marine was awarded a contract by Bakkafrost Scotland to salvage the sunken feed barge and its cargo.  Following the discovery of significant levels of hydrogen sulphide within the wreck, all appropriate precautionary and safety measures have been taken in close consultation with the relevant local authorities and stakeholders.  Following a payment dispute with Bakkafrost, Briggs have demobilised from the site and legal proceedings have commenced.   Further to our above statement, as we are currently in dispute with Bakkafrost, we do not feel it appropriate to comment at this time.   Kind regards Erica

 

 

Statement: "Briggs Marine was awarded a contract by Bakkafrost Scotland to salvage the sunken feed barge & its cargo. Following a payment dispute with Bakkafrost, Briggs have demobilised from the site & legal proceedings have commenced" https://t.co/ETYEv0Aefu @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/mFau7iA8aX

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 14, 2022 at 7:39 AM
Subject: "Explosive" Hydrogen Sulphide risk from sunken barge off Portree
To: Ruraidh.Stewart.cllr@highland.gov.uk; calum.munro.cllr@highland.gov.uk; Drew.Millar.cllr@highland.gov.uk; john.finlayson.cllr@highland.gov.uk

 

Were you aware of the "explosive" risk to public health from a feed barge off Portree?

 

A FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government on Friday (11 November) detailed various emails - including to Highland councillors - regarding the risk of "explosion" including Highland Council offices in Portree being used as an 'emergency response centre' and Portree High School as a 'rest centre' should toxic gases come onshore:

 

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

 

The documents above raise serious questions re. the lack of public warning - to walkers along the coastal path near the salmon farm, divers, swimmers, kayakers, boats and tourists (including 'The World' cruise liner which visited Portree during the height of the "explosion" risk).  

 

Tweets via:

https://twitter.com/TheGAAIA/status/1592051936765050880

https://twitter.com/TheGAAIA/status/1592049819337777152

 

 

What actions did you take to notify your constituents of the "explosive" risk to public health?

 

It beggars belief that Highland Council issued no public warning in August (they were notified on 12 August of toxic gases at 55,000 ppm - that's in the "explosive range"). 

 

Yet on 2 September, Highland Council issued a 'media reassurance' following public concerns from Portree residents after a BBC News story on 30 August ($camon $scotland broke the story earlier that morning following a tip-off from Portree). 

 

$camon $cotland understands that the barge still needs to be salvaged (see email below to Portree Harbour Master).  An update would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

 

Don Staniford

 

$camon $cotland

 

 

When @HighlandCouncil was told on 12 August that "explosive" levels of toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gas at 55,000 ppm were found off Portree they failed to warn the public. Yet after an alarming BBC News story they issued a "message of reassurance" on 2 Sept https://t.co/ETYEv0SntC https://t.co/MqTKM7o5en pic.twitter.com/vYsbri4hzk

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 14, 2022 at 6:59 AM
Subject: Salvage off Portree on Isle of Skye?
To: <operations@marinemasters.nl>, <h.smith@marinemasters.nl>, <d.spaans@marinemasters.nl>

 

Do you have an update on the salvage operation of a Bakkafrost feed barge off Portree on the Isle of Skye?

 

$camon $cotland has just published documents obtained via Freedom of Information from the Scottish Government: Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

 

FOI documents obtained earlier this month from SEPA also included a Marine Masters gas purging report: Email 3_Salmon Feeder Barge Gas Purging_Attachment

 

 

Do you have an update on the current situation?

 

Will the salvage be completed before 25 November?  I understand that Bakkafrost have 12 months from the sinking on 26 November 2021 to salvage the barge or they need to apply for a licence.

 

Do you know how much the salvage operation will cost?

 

A feed barge salvaged in Loch Dunvegan off the Isle of Skye last year (it sank in 2017) cost Grieg Seafood close to £1 million (£921,000): https://www.fishfarmingexpert.com/feed-barge-grieg-seafood-shetland-ocean-kinetics/sunken-feed-barge-brought-back-from-the-deep/1378938

 

The FOI disclosure also refers to legal action between Briggs Marine and Bakkafrost - with Briggs Marine informing $camon $cotland last week that "our departure was due to a commercial dispute regarding payment". 

 

Is Marine Masters encountering any payment problems with Bakkafrost who are haemorrhaging money in Scotland?

 

 

Any information you could provide would be much appreciated.

 

 

 

Don Staniford

 

$camon $cotland

 

 

 

This story is HUGE! On 26 November 2021 a barge loaded with fish food for the caged salmon in Portree Bay sank. Instead of salvaging it the company left it on the seabed. Why? Well, perhaps since recovering it could have cost more than it was worth. So, keep calm and carry on? https://t.co/pjxCQEPqYp

— Eòghann MacUalraig (@ewangkennedy) November 14, 2022

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 14, 2022 at 5:40 AM
Subject: "Explosive" Hydrogen Sulphide risk from sunken barge off Portree
To: <Sergejs.Vozmitels@highland.gov.uk>

 

As Portree Harbour Master, could you please provide an update on the latest situation with respect to Bakkafrost's sunken feed barge off Portree?

 

Is an exclusion zone still in place?

 

Did you issue any public warnings when toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gases at 55,000 ppm - within the "explosive range" - were reported in August?

 

I understand that a 'Notice to Mariners' was issued on 5 August re. the salvage operation taking place but I cannot find any 'Notice to Mariners' or any warning to the public re. the "explosive" gases.  

 

Background information - sourced via a FOI disclosure from the Scottish Government - is online via: Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

 

Any information you have on this public safety issue would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

 

Don Staniford

 

$camon $cotland

 

 

 

Here's the signs posted @HighlandCouncil @scotgov @MCA_media @PoliceScotland @fire_scot @NHSScotland warning the public about "explosive" levels of Hydrogen Sulphide gases off Portree in August (i.e. they didn't post any) @Ianblackford_MP @_KateForbes https://t.co/ETYEv0RPE4 https://t.co/qVzYgLmRnQ pic.twitter.com/F5fTOE2Hl6

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 14, 2022 at 5:30 AM
Subject: Bakkafrost's "explosive" problem in Scotland
To: <folketrygdfondet@ftf.no>, <marika.burvald@ftf.no>, <postmottak@nfd.dep.no>, <nils.bastiansen@ftf.no>

 

As the largest shareholder in Bakkafrost has the Norwegian Government been officially notified of Bakkafrost's deepening problems in Scotland?

 

A Freedom of Information disclosure on Friday (11 November 2022) by the Scottish Government raises serious alarm bells: Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

 

This follows in the wake of Bakkafrost's worsening mortality problems in Scotland - referred to in Bakkafrost's 2021 Annual Report as a "deadly cocktail":

 

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

 

Please see below for correspondence with Bakkafrost.

 

Almost two years ago, Scottish Salmon Watch (since renamed $camon $cotland) wrote to you demanding divestment in salmon unethical and irresponsible salmon farming companies in Scotland:

 

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

 

 

Far from improving, the situation is clearly getting worse.  How can the Norwegian Government support the 'King of Death'?

 

 

Takk,

 

Don Staniford

 

$camon $cotland

 

 

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 14, 2022 at 5:09 AM
Subject: Re: Toxic Gasses at Bakkafrost Scotland?
To: <toda@bakkafrost.com>, <sasi@bakkafrost.com>, <ruw@havsbrun.fo>, <reja@bakkafrost.com>
Cc: <dougie.macleod@scottishsalmon.com>

 

Further to $camon Scotland's email of 30 August 2022 (still unanswered), could you please provide an update on the state of the salvage operation off Portree including any public/environmental risks arising from leaking toxic gases?

 

When will Bakkafrost be reporting the financial costs of the salvage operation to the Oslo stock exchange (I understand there are disclosure rules under the Norwegian Securities Trading Act) and Bakkafrost shareholders (the largest being the Norwegian Government as represented by Folketrygdfondet)?

 

Documents obtained via FOI detail the "explosive" nature of Bakkafrost's feed barge, the public risks from explosion (Hydrogen Sulphide toxic gases were found in August at 55,000 ppm - levels within the "explosive range") and legal action between Bakkafrost and Briggs Marine (which presumably adds to the costs):

 

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

 

An update would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Don Staniford

 

$camon $cotland

 

 

Whilst Grieg Seafood reported the NOK 10 million (£921K) financial fallout from a sunken feed barge off the Isle of Skye to shareholders & the Norwegian stock exchange, here's the public disclosure thus far by Bakkafrost @Folketrygdfond @osloboers @NFdep @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/6SE5PcCK1U pic.twitter.com/rmwbQc2zd3

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

 

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 30, 2022 at 12:52 PM
Subject: Toxic Gasses at Bakkafrost Scotland?
To: <toda@bakkafrost.com>, <sasi@bakkafrost.com>, <ruw@havsbrun.fo>, <reja@bakkafrost.com>
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?

 

Details via: Toxic Gasses Spew From The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost Scotland) Off Portree?

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

$almoney: Instead of pumping feed out of sunken barge - which is "extremely expensive" - Norwegian/Faroese giant Bakkafrost left it to rot on the seabed for nearly a year & continued to farm salmon off Portree precipitating "explosive" levels of toxic gas https://t.co/ETYEv0SntC pic.twitter.com/IThNzKgDel

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

 

$almafia 101: "Explosive" gas found at salmon farm with 'Toxic Threat Zone' mapped off Portree yet government agencies stay silent #Omerta
Then following @BBCScotlandNews story which prompts concerns from residents, @HighlandCouncil issue 'message of reassurance' @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/RPj7mxKeYW

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 16, 2022

Document dump by Scottish Government following FOI review: floodgates opened on "explosive" salmon barge off Portree!

 

Read the FOI backgrounder in full online here

 

 

Utterly scandalous and reckless: #IsleofSkye exposed to risk of hazardous chemicals from toxic #salmon farm in #Portree without public warning. Details only emerge following FOI request @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @scottishgreens @HighlandCouncil https://t.co/8xHF1JlXcu

— SST-T (@ScotSalmonTank) November 14, 2022

 

 

 

FOI documents disclosed by the Scottish Government on 11 November 2022:

Scottish Government FOI review reply 11 Nov 2022 Response-202200321470

Scottish Government FOI review reply 11 Nov 2022 EIR Review Reference 200200321470 - Document 19 Attachment MS Incident Log Sheet - 30 Nov 2021

Scottish Government FOI review reply 11 Nov 2022 EIR Review Reference 202200321470 - Documents for Release with redactions

[Scottish Government FOI Response-202200317900-1 20 September 2022]

 

 

 

"Explosive" FOI disclosure @ScottishEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Co (Bakkafrost) off Skye! https://t.co/ZuJ147DRec
Hydrogen Sulphide detected at 55,000 ppm "which puts the gas into explosive range" @ScotlandSalmon @GaelForceGroup @_KateForbes @MairiMcAllan pic.twitter.com/oBbuHr430j

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 8, 2022

 

 

Read more via:

Bakkafrost is Dead in Water in Scotland - "Explosive" FOI Disclosure Lifts Lid on Hazardous Scottish Salmon!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

"Explosive" FOI disclosure from SEPA on Toxic Gases Spewing from The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost) Off Portree!

Toxic Salmon Barge Salvaged This Month Off Portree (as revealed by FOI disclosure by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency)

500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell

P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"

"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)

BBC News: "'Rotten egg' gas leaking from fish feed barge wreck - 500m exclusion zone placed near Portree on Skye"

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

 

 

 

EXPLOSIVE WARNING: "A gas sample was collected directly from the sunken barge & analysed by a Marine Chemist which provided the results of H2S in concentrations of 55,000 ppm which puts the gas into explosive range" @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon @MCA_media https://t.co/ZuJ147UUgc pic.twitter.com/L2VvtEnOWx

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 8, 2022

 

 

 

When "explosive" Hydrogen Sulphide gases at 55,000 ppm were detected in August off Portree the authorities planned for a 'worst case scenario' & emergency response due to explosion risk. Yet they failed to issue a public warning! @fire_scot @PoliceScotland @NHSScotland @scotgov pic.twitter.com/FNI1ya2Mld

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 14, 2022

 

Remembrance Day Plea for the Millions of Farmed Salmon Killed in Scotland Every Year

 

On Remembrance Day please spare a thought for ca. 50 million salmon who die each year inside cages & hatcheries in Scotland https://t.co/txsQ9C9ol9
Scottish Ministers @MairiGougeon @MairiMcAllan @scotgov should hang their heads in shame for ignoring the suffering @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/jZr1e5FKPz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 11, 2022

 

 

 

As the world stops to remember the estimated 50 million people who died during World War II, please spare a brief thought for the estimated 50 million farmed salmon who die cruel deaths and suffer unnecessarily each year inside salmon farms across Scotland.  Here's a letter sent to Scottish Ministers, RSPCA Assured, the SSPCA, Compassion in World Farming and other parties this morning (11 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

Read the Remembrance Day message - which also calls on supermarkets and certification bodies to stop greenwashing Scottish salmon - in full online here

 

 

 

Scamon $cotland calls for the immediate suspension of certification & accreditation of ‘responsibly sourced’ Scottish salmon @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua
The shameless greenwashing of Scottish salmon @ScotlandSalmon must be stopped dead in its tracks! https://t.co/txsQ9BSlj9 pic.twitter.com/3v7e4oDcZr

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 11, 2022

 

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Nov 11, 2022 at 10:42 AM
Subject: Remembrance Day Plea for the Millions of Farmed Salmon Killed in Scotland Every Year
To: <scottish.ministers@gov.scot>

 

As the world stops to remember the estimated 50 million people who died during World War II, please spare a brief thought for the estimated 50 million farmed salmon who die cruel deaths and suffer unnecessarily each year inside salmon farms across Scotland.  Here's a letter sent to Scottish Ministers, APHA, RSPCA Assured, SSPCA and other parties this morning (11 November 2022)

 

Remembrance Day Plea for the Millions of Farmed Salmon Killed in Scotland Every Year

 

The letter includes:

 

$camon $cotland urges the government authorities; certification bodies responsible for greenwashing Scottish salmon; supermarkets who fraudulently market Scottish salmon as “responsibly sourced”; and animal welfare groups who turn a blind eye to abuse inside salmon farms to close the net on the mortality, disease and welfare nightmare of Scottish salmon. 

 

If we wait until mortality data is published for October 2022 and beyond then it will be too late to save tens of millions of Atlantic salmon suffering unnecessarily inside cages in Scotland.  Immediate action needs to be taken now – please intervene as a matter of urgency. 

 

 

Back in July 2018, Scottish Salmon Watch warned the Animal & Plant Health Agency and Police Scotland’s Wildlife Crime Unit that the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 was being systematically breached by salmon farms across Scotland.  Yet over four years later the problems are significantly worse.  The industry-wide scale of mass mortalities – and undercover evidence of abuse - warrants urgent site inspections of all salmon farms by welfare agencies. 

 

 

In the meantime, $camon $cotland has called for the immediate suspension of certification and accreditation of ‘responsibly sourced’ Scottish salmon via RSPCA Assured and the ASC (as well as Label Rouge and the Soil Association).  The shameless greenwashing of Scottish salmon must be stopped dead in its tracks.

 

 

Continued government inaction by APHA– including their woeful lack of enforcement of welfare laws - is both unacceptable and unlawful.  Similarly, amidst a rising tide of dead salmon, Scottish Ministers are ignoring their statutory duties under animal welfare laws. 

 

 

It remains to be seen whether the Scottish Veterinary Service – which is scheduled to replace APHA in Scotland – will clamp down on endemic suffering and welfare abuse inside salmon farms.  In the absence of APHA enforcement and inspection, $camon $cotland urges the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (welfare issues on salmon farms were identified in a work plan published in July 2022) and the Scottish Parliament Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee to scrutinize the alarming mortality rates on salmon farms. 

 

Consumers can take action too by joining the global boycott against farmed salmon and supporting WildFish’s ‘Off the Table’ campaign. 

 

 

Read the letter in full online here

 

Best fishes,

 

Don Staniford

 

$camon $cotland

 

 

 

Tavish Scott (chief lobbyist for the Norwegian $almafia which controls 80%+ of ‘Scottish’ salmon) has a job which makes him blind, deaf & dumb to disease problems even though he is up to his neck in a stinky cess-pit of morts! https://t.co/txsQ9BSlj9 @TavishScott @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/Hkh9qelx0g

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 11, 2022

 

 

Read more via:

3 million Scottish Salmon Die Inside RSPCA Assured Feedlots in September?!

8,000 tonne shortfall for Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) due to "biological challenges"!

Record Death Rates Plagues Salmon Farms Across Scotland!

Annus Horribilis Salmonis: Mowi's "Troublesome Year" in Scotland - 22% fall in production!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

Death Stalks Scottish Salmon - Rising Mortalities Plague RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Sites!

21% Mortality at Mowi's ASC-Certified & RSPCA Assured Marulaig Bay & Rum in ONE WEEK!!!

Abominable Salmon Certification - the Aquaculture Stewardship Council is Sponsoring Serial Killing in Scotland!

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

Greenwashing by the ASC - you can't polish a turd but you can roll it in glitter!

New Survey Lifts Lid on Falling Production & Rising Mortalities on 'Scottish' Salmon Farms!

Death Deflation: 13 Million Morts On Scottish Salmon Farms in 2021 - More Like 22 Million (& maybe 50 million if you add freshwater)!

Named & Shamed: The Most Deadly Salmon Farms in Scotland (as greenwashed as "responsible" via RSPCA Assured & the ASC)!

Halloween Comes Early at Deadly Scottish Salmon - mortalities pile up due to viral disease, fungus, gill infections & lice infestations!

Death Rates Soar at Salmon Farms (according to data published by Salmon Scotland)

Press Release: "Year of the Dead Salmon: Scottish Salmon Plagued by Mass Mortality Problems"

Media Backgrounder: Year of the Dead Salmon - Bakkafrost Scotland is the King of Death!

Fake News? Over 50% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Farms - how can supermarkets advertise it as "responsibly sourced"?

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

Exposed: 10 Million Morts at RSPCA Assured Mowi Since 2019!

Revealed: 30+ Million Dead Scottish Salmon Since 2017 - over 8 million morts reported last year & over half a million in first two weeks of 2022!!

Mowi's "Woes in Scotland" - Disease & Deaths Cause £5.6 Million Losses!

Over 80% Mortality at The Scottish Salmon Company!!!

ASC-Certified/Audited Mass Mortalities Pile Up at Lousy Mowi & Scottish Sea Farms!

New Mortality Data for Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon - 700,000+ in the first two weeks of December!

Mass mortalities at ASC-certified Mowi!

Dead in the Water - Scottish Salmon's Mortality Mountain Piles Ever Higher in 2021!

Mass Mortalities - 66% in one month at The Scottish Salmon Company on the Isle of Gigha!

Lousy 'Scottish' Salmon - the most lice-infested salmon farms named & shamed!

Irresponsible Scottish Salmon Exposed: 'Scotland's Aquaculture' Publishes Data on Toxic Chemicals Use, Morts & Biomass Breaches

STV News: "Thousands of rotting salmon ‘stink out’ village after mass death at farm"

X-Rated Video: 90% Mortality at The Faroese/Norwegian 'Scottish' Salmon Company?!

Video Nasties of Dead Farmed Salmon Pile Up All Over the World!

Videos of Mort Disposal by The Scottish Salmon Company - like a serial killer disposing of dead bodies before the police arrive!

Demand for moratorium on new fish farms after mortality rates revealed

"The shocking death rates on Scotland's salmon farms revealed"

Rest Assured - the RSPCA has been captured, co-opted & corrupted by the Salmafia

2020: The Year of Diseased Scottish Salmon - 27,000 Tonnes of Dead Fish, the Worst On Record!

Stop the Scottish Salmondemic - please avoid disease-ridden farmed salmon like the proverbial plague!

Taking the Fish - Illegal Salmon Dump Caught Taking Diseased Fish from the Mainland Despite 'Derogation'!

FOI Lifts Lid on the Stench of Scottish Salmon: Government Legal Department Target Illegal Dumping of Diseased Salmon

The Times: "Fish graveyard ‘severely hampers’ life for islanders, officials claim"

Update: Mortality Rate Over 36% At RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon!

Mowi's 'Healthy' RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Salmon Farm at Gorsten (as featured in Seaspiracy)

Netflix's 'Seaspiracy' Exposes Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon – As Sponsored by the RSPCA & Aquaculture Stewardship Council!

Mowi Moves Goalposts on ASC Certification

ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Dead in the Water!

Anyone for ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Doused in Carcinogenic Formaldehyde?

Revealed: Burned, Buried & Ensiled Scottish Salmon 

Update: 25 Million Mass Mortalities on Scottish Salmon Farms

52 million deaths in Norway - how many millions died on Scottish salmon farms in 2020?

The Case Against Scottish Salmon - An Update on Diseases & Mass Mortalities!

2.2 Million Missing Mortalities at Scottish Sea Farms?

Mass Mortalities Continue to Plague Scottish Salmon

Alexa, how many salmon die each year on Scottish salmon farms? 42 million* (but we don't know for sure as the answer is deemed "commercially damaging")!

Over One Million Morts for Scottish Salmon in September 2020!

Survival of the Unhealthiest Scottish Salmon - New data reveals shocking mortality rates!

Dead in the Water - New Data Reveals Mass Mortalities & Disease on Scottish Salmon Farms

The Ferret: "Farmed salmon deaths from disease reach record high"

The Killing Farms - Scottish Salmon's Horror Story Continues!

Solving Scottish Salmon's Multi-Million Mortality Problem

 

 

 

All hail Bakkafrost Scotland (formerly The Scottish Salmon Company) - Scottish salmon's King of Death! https://t.co/Ju6L8xNZjw
How can 82.1% mortality (that's 4 in every 5 fish dying a cruel death) be branded "responsibly sourced"? @rspcaassured @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/zc4OuDlw2x

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 26, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Orcadian: "Fish Farm Fight Goes to Environment Minister - 'Enough is Enough' says Papa Westray"

 

"Fish Farm Fight Goes to Environment Minister" reports today's @The_Orcadian "Enough is enough says Papa Westray campaigner criticising salmon farming expansion" https://t.co/gbOzzBFBsy @CookeScotland @CookeSeafood @ScotlandSalmon @amy_may @ArianeBurgessHI @MairiMcAllan pic.twitter.com/xNhrwizV5P

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2022

 

 

The Orcadian newspaper reported (10 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a copy of Save Papay's letter to Scotland's Environment Minister:

 

 

Letter from Save Papay hand-delivered from Orkney to Scotland's Environment Minster @MairiMcAllan: "Enforce a moratorium on fish farms across the whole of Scotland"! @scotgov https://t.co/P4URR4ctTg @ArianeBurgessHI @ScotlandSalmon @CookeScotland @SoilAssociation @ScottishEPA pic.twitter.com/euX9GDs1b6

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 6, 2022

 

 

"We now expect clear & decisive action to rein in the exploitation of communities by international fish farm operators riding rough-shod over inadequate regulatory watchdogs" wrote Save Papay in a letter to Scotland's Env Minister @MairiMcAllan @scotgov https://t.co/P4URR4ctTg pic.twitter.com/o99yl3PuJb

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 6, 2022

 

 

Over 600 people have now signed a petition against Cooke Aquaculture's expansion plans in Northern Orkney:

 

 

Petition against Cooke Aquaculture's expansion plans in Scotland closes in on 500 - please sign and spread the word against disease-ridden salmon farming! @Change https://t.co/IwVGwjIwKi @NOFF_Tasmania @BobBrownFndn @SalmonNews @LivingOceansFdn @NSFAS_Ireland @CCNScotland pic.twitter.com/koGh6Gzsqp

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 6, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

Photo Exclusive: Cooke's RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon - fresh from Shetland with eye damage, lesions, diseases & viruses!

Petition Vs Cooke Aquaculture in Scotland Makes Waves Worldwide!

STV News: "Campaigners are calling for an immediate ban on salmon fish farming developments in Scotland over environmental concerns"

Letter from Save Papay to Environment Minister: "enforce a moratorium on fish farms across the whole of Scotland"

Sunday Times: "Islanders up in arms about new fish farm"

Tasmanian TV reporting on Cooke Aquaculture: "one of the world's worst salmon farming companies"

'Organic' Salmon Farming Quadruples in a Decade - 9% of Scottish farmed salmon now greenwashed by Soil Association!

Rubber-stamping Salmon Farm Approvals - 99% success rate!

"Disgrace for democracy...diabolical decision" decries No East Moclett Group on BBC Radio Orkney

The Times: "Author Amy Liptrot joins island’s fish farm protest"

Protests Continue Vs Cooke's Salmon Farming Expansion Off Orkney - appeal vs East Moclett in the pipeline!

Mega Media Splash Vs Cooke's Super-Sized Salmon Farm Off Orkney - The Scotsman, The Herald, The National, Daily Telegraph & even Fish Farmer!!

Daily Telegraph: "Orkney locals 'disregarded' over huge salmon farm plan"

No Way To Salmon Farm Off Papa Westray

Photos: Papa Westray Protest Vs Cooke Makes Waves Off Orkney!

Too Many Cookes - community resistance on Orkney spoils super-sized salmon plan off Papa Westray

Cooke's Organic Scamon Exposed by Gruesome Photos from Orkney - RSPCA Assured Ouseness Oozes Welfare Abuse!

Shetland salmon packing factory leaks 'blood water' into sea

Cooke's Untreated Blood Water is "Gross" says SEPA - "Poor" processing plant pollutes Mid Yell Voe in Shetland

BBC Radio Shetland on Cooke's "untreated blood water" in Scotland

BBC News: "Shetland salmon packing factory leaks 'blood water' into sea"

More troubles for Cooke, with Scottish “blood water” claims

Environmental Event report re. "raw effluent" and overflowing "blood water" at Cooke's Mid Yell processing plant - January 2017

 

 

Here are some testimonies from GSFR members around the world who have Cooke as their neighbour 👇#rec3forsafeseas #sumofus #tassal #cookeinc #huonaquaculture #petuna #politas #jbs #FishFarmsOut pic.twitter.com/9MEC0pWFw1

— Living Oceans (@living_oceans) November 3, 2022

 

3 million Scottish Salmon Die Inside RSPCA Assured Feedlots in September?!

 

Corin Smith of ISSF: "In just a single month, 4.7% of the approx 65 million caged salmon on feedlots in Scotland died prematurely due to disease, parasites or mistreatment. That's around 3 million animals" @rspcaassured @TavishScott @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/gwk4mWL3IL pic.twitter.com/SPqCeS2Exa

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2022

 

Maths wizard Corin Smith of Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots has published (10 November 2022) a damning assessment of how the 'Scottish' salmon farming industry present mortality figures - estimating that a staggering three million salmon died inside RSPCA Assured feedlots in the month of September 2022 alone:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported (9 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

The figure of 2.8 million dead farmed salmon for September 2022 is sourced from a press release issued by Salmon Scotland (9 November 2022):

 

"Data @ScotlandSalmon for September shows survival fell to 95.3%; 2.4% down on the past 4-year average of 97.7% & equating to a loss of 2.8 million fish" https://t.co/8UrlImgqDu
How many million @rspcaassured salmon died in 2022 or would disclosure be 'commercially damaging'? pic.twitter.com/Jq0ELuSnsG

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2022

 

 

 

Back in 2013, the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (since renamed Salmon Scotland) successfully lobbied against publication of mortality numbers arguing that disclosure would be 'commercially damaging'!

 

If you're looking for data on numbers of @rspcaassured dead farmed salmon in Scotland they don't exist - in 2013 @SSPOsays lobbied @ScottishEPA not to disclose mortalities as it was deemed commercially damaging! https://t.co/cDEyvS04dO @strathearnrose @salmon_scottish @scotgp pic.twitter.com/FICRbrpGXJ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 2, 2020

 

Alexa, how many salmon die each year on Scottish salmon farms? 42 million* https://t.co/jRQzhheju6
Sadly we don't know for sure as the answer is deemed "commercially damaging" by @sspo!
Will @ScottishEPA & @marinescotland force disclosure? @salmon_scottish @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/fua9nkM6g3

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 11, 2020

 

 

 

Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots posted on Facebook in August 2021: 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

8,000 tonne shortfall for Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) due to "biological challenges"!

Record Death Rates Plagues Salmon Farms Across Scotland!

Annus Horribilis Salmonis: Mowi's "Troublesome Year" in Scotland - 22% fall in production!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

Death Stalks Scottish Salmon - Rising Mortalities Plague RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Sites!

21% Mortality at Mowi's ASC-Certified & RSPCA Assured Marulaig Bay & Rum in ONE WEEK!!!

Abominable Salmon Certification - the Aquaculture Stewardship Council is Sponsoring Serial Killing in Scotland!

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

Greenwashing by the ASC - you can't polish a turd but you can roll it in glitter!

New Survey Lifts Lid on Falling Production & Rising Mortalities on 'Scottish' Salmon Farms!

Death Deflation: 13 Million Morts On Scottish Salmon Farms in 2021 - More Like 22 Million (& maybe 50 million if you add freshwater)!

Named & Shamed: The Most Deadly Salmon Farms in Scotland (as greenwashed as "responsible" via RSPCA Assured & the ASC)!

Halloween Comes Early at Deadly Scottish Salmon - mortalities pile up due to viral disease, fungus, gill infections & lice infestations!

Death Rates Soar at Salmon Farms (according to data published by Salmon Scotland)

Press Release: "Year of the Dead Salmon: Scottish Salmon Plagued by Mass Mortality Problems"

Media Backgrounder: Year of the Dead Salmon - Bakkafrost Scotland is the King of Death!

Fake News? Over 50% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Farms - how can supermarkets advertise it as "responsibly sourced"?

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

Exposed: 10 Million Morts at RSPCA Assured Mowi Since 2019!

Revealed: 30+ Million Dead Scottish Salmon Since 2017 - over 8 million morts reported last year & over half a million in first two weeks of 2022!!

Mowi's "Woes in Scotland" - Disease & Deaths Cause £5.6 Million Losses!

Over 80% Mortality at The Scottish Salmon Company!!!

ASC-Certified/Audited Mass Mortalities Pile Up at Lousy Mowi & Scottish Sea Farms!

New Mortality Data for Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon - 700,000+ in the first two weeks of December!

Mass mortalities at ASC-certified Mowi!

Dead in the Water - Scottish Salmon's Mortality Mountain Piles Ever Higher in 2021!

Mass Mortalities - 66% in one month at The Scottish Salmon Company on the Isle of Gigha!

Lousy 'Scottish' Salmon - the most lice-infested salmon farms named & shamed!

Irresponsible Scottish Salmon Exposed: 'Scotland's Aquaculture' Publishes Data on Toxic Chemicals Use, Morts & Biomass Breaches

STV News: "Thousands of rotting salmon ‘stink out’ village after mass death at farm"

X-Rated Video: 90% Mortality at The Faroese/Norwegian 'Scottish' Salmon Company?!

Video Nasties of Dead Farmed Salmon Pile Up All Over the World!

Videos of Mort Disposal by The Scottish Salmon Company - like a serial killer disposing of dead bodies before the police arrive!

Demand for moratorium on new fish farms after mortality rates revealed

"The shocking death rates on Scotland's salmon farms revealed"

Rest Assured - the RSPCA has been captured, co-opted & corrupted by the Salmafia

2020: The Year of Diseased Scottish Salmon - 27,000 Tonnes of Dead Fish, the Worst On Record!

Stop the Scottish Salmondemic - please avoid disease-ridden farmed salmon like the proverbial plague!

Taking the Fish - Illegal Salmon Dump Caught Taking Diseased Fish from the Mainland Despite 'Derogation'!

FOI Lifts Lid on the Stench of Scottish Salmon: Government Legal Department Target Illegal Dumping of Diseased Salmon

The Times: "Fish graveyard ‘severely hampers’ life for islanders, officials claim"

Update: Mortality Rate Over 36% At RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon!

Mowi's 'Healthy' RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Salmon Farm at Gorsten (as featured in Seaspiracy)

Netflix's 'Seaspiracy' Exposes Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon – As Sponsored by the RSPCA & Aquaculture Stewardship Council!

Mowi Moves Goalposts on ASC Certification

ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Dead in the Water!

Anyone for ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Doused in Carcinogenic Formaldehyde?

Revealed: Burned, Buried & Ensiled Scottish Salmon 

Update: 25 Million Mass Mortalities on Scottish Salmon Farms

52 million deaths in Norway - how many millions died on Scottish salmon farms in 2020?

The Case Against Scottish Salmon - An Update on Diseases & Mass Mortalities!

2.2 Million Missing Mortalities at Scottish Sea Farms?

Mass Mortalities Continue to Plague Scottish Salmon

Alexa, how many salmon die each year on Scottish salmon farms? 42 million* (but we don't know for sure as the answer is deemed "commercially damaging")!

Over One Million Morts for Scottish Salmon in September 2020!

Survival of the Unhealthiest Scottish Salmon - New data reveals shocking mortality rates!

Dead in the Water - New Data Reveals Mass Mortalities & Disease on Scottish Salmon Farms

The Ferret: "Farmed salmon deaths from disease reach record high"

The Killing Farms - Scottish Salmon's Horror Story Continues!

Solving Scottish Salmon's Multi-Million Mortality Problem

 

 

Calling Albert Einstein: Scottish Salmon's 30,000+ Tonne Black Hole Spawns Maths Challenge! https://t.co/2h6ob330lL @marinescotland @ScotlandSalmon @scotseafarms @TavishScott @MowiScotlandLtd @GriegShetland @MairiGougeon @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua @scotgp pic.twitter.com/jjjKekhjhB

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2022

 

Calling Albert Einstein: Scottish Salmon's 30,000+ Tonne Black Hole Spawns Maths Challenge!

 

Calling Albert Einstein: Scottish Salmon's 30,000+ Tonne Black Hole Spawns Maths Challenge! https://t.co/2h6ob330lL @marinescotland @ScotlandSalmon @scotseafarms @TavishScott @MowiScotlandLtd @GriegShetland @MairiGougeon @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua @scotgp pic.twitter.com/jjjKekhjhB

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2022

 

 

 

Financial results for Q3 2022 published this week by the Norwegian-owned giants who have a stranglehold over 'Scottish' salmon farming lays bare the depth of the industry's mortality and disease problems.  Today (10 November 2022), SalMar (co-owner of Norskott Havbruk/Scottish Sea Farms - Scotland's #2 salmon farmer) reported a 8,000 tonne shortfall in 2022.  

 

SalMar's "passion for salmon" takes a hit with 8,000 tonne shortfall in 2022 salmon farming output from @rspcaassured Norskott Havbruk (Scottish Sea Farms) https://t.co/ZkkzhH3qTA
Q3 2022 "results affected by biological challenges" (i.e. diseases & lice) @marksandspencer pic.twitter.com/McKawR2gXG

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2022

 

 

 

Yesterday (9 November 2022) Scotland's #1 salmon farmer Mowi reported a 22% fall in salmon farming production in Scotland representing 14,400 tonnes.

 

Annus Horribilis Salmonis: Mowi's "Troublesome Year" in Scotland https://t.co/wW3RQnMWTD
2022 farmed salmon production predicted to be 50,000 tonnes - down 22% on the 64,400 tonnes in 2021. "Our Scottish farming operations has experienced a troublesome year" @MowiScotlandLtd pic.twitter.com/hRwvuUHmQU

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

 

On Tuesday (8 November 2022) Bakkafrost Scottish (formerly called The Scottish Salmon Company and Scotland's #3 salmon farmer just ahead of Canadian-owned Cooke Aquaculture) reported a 10,000 tonne black hole. 

 

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole! @Folketrygdfond @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott
The £5 million investment of public money in the deadly Applecross facility @marinescotland & @HIEScotland is dead in the water! https://t.co/xWpvFgUlLT pic.twitter.com/ah1ZkiL2iw

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 8, 2022

 

 

 

You don't have to be as brainy as Albert Einstein to work out that this represents a 32,400 tonne negative hit for salmon farming in Scotland or that 32,400 tonnes of lost production out of an annual production forecast this year as ca. 190,000 tonnes represents a significant loss.   

 

 

 

These Norwegian-owned companies (Bakkafrost's largest shareholder is the Norwegian Government as represented by Folketrygdfondet; Mowi is controlled by Norway's richest man John Fredriksen via Geveran Trading with the Norwegian Government as the second largest shareholder; and Norskott Havbruk/Scottish Sea Farms which bought Grieg Seafood in Scotland last year is co-owned by Norwegian giants SalMar and Leroy Seafood) are Scotland's three largest salmon farming companies and together account for over 80% of 'Scottish' salmon farming production.  

 

 

 

 

If other companies are experiencing the same level of problems - and it appears that Loch Duart (Scotland's #5 salmon farmer) is being ravaged in Loch Carnan - then the black hole could be more than 40,000 tonnes of lost salmon farming production this year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We will have to wait until Autumn next year when the Scottish Government publishes production data for 2022 to find out the precise negative hit but a look at the 'Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2021' (published on 27 October 2022) highlights the huge loss:

 

 

"In 2021, production of Atlantic salmon increased by 13,264 tonnes (7%) to 205,393 tonnes" @scotgov "This is the highest level of production recorded in Scotland" https://t.co/IKKHsFvRlY
No need to mention that 2022 production will fall 8% to 189,693 tonnes! @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/qJTIEokvfJ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 27, 2022

 

However, the predicted fall from 205,393 tonnes of Scottish farmed salmon in 2021 to 189,693 tonnes in 2022 (that represents a 7.6% fall) does not tell the whole story.   A look at the 'Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2020' (published in September 2021) gives a glimpse of the growing black hole which surprised industry forecasters.  Note here that 236,000 tonnes was predicted in 2021 but only 205,393 tonnes was actually reported (a 13% shortfall in predicted vs actual production): 

 

 

Missing (Presumed Dead): what happened to the 30,607 tonnes of missing Scottish salmon in 2021!
The 2020 survey @scotgov predicted 236,000 tonnes in 2021 https://t.co/jhk6tKXCS2
The 2021 survey reported 205,393 tonnes with only 189,693 tonnes predicted in 2022! @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/iOFq4CqAKn

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 27, 2022

 

The rising level of losses points to the survival rate on salmon farms in Scotland - which currently stands at 74.4% (i.e. 25.6% mortality) - falling yet further this year.

 

EXPOSED: The latest survival figures for sea cage salmon farms in Scotland is 74.4% - i.e. 25.6% mortality! @scotgov https://t.co/LTIGM2E1xi
Shamefully, @ScotlandSalmon refuse to disclose the total number of mortalities as the information is deemed 'commercially damaging'! https://t.co/2Rpf4NUrrN pic.twitter.com/EfZJCOfzzB

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 27, 2022

 

 

Exposed: The sea survival of Scottish farmed salmon was only 66% (i.e. 34% mortality) in the North-West region & 72% (i.e. 28% mortality) in the Western Isles in 2021 @scotgov @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott @MowiScotlandLtd @scotseafarms @GriegShetland https://t.co/LTIGM2E1xi pic.twitter.com/6bI7NJZe7n

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 27, 2022

 

Exactly how many farmed salmon die on salmon farms across Scotland each year has been unknown for the last decade since the industry lobbied against publication of mortality numbers arguing that disclosure would be 'commercially damaging'!

 

How may farmed salmon died in Scotland last year?
We don't know because @ScottishEPA stopped publishing the data in 2013 after @ScotlandSalmon lobbied vs disclosure arguing publication would be 'commercially damaging'. But based on previous data it could be 22 million morts! pic.twitter.com/7b7YeE00Xw

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 29, 2022

Alexa, how many salmon die each year on Scottish salmon farms? 42 million* https://t.co/jRQzhheju6
Sadly we don't know for sure as the answer is deemed "commercially damaging" by @sspo!
Will @ScottishEPA & @marinescotland force disclosure? @salmon_scottish @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/fua9nkM6g3

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 11, 2020

 

Einstein, Pythagoras, Tao as well as Matt Damon in the film 'Good Will Hunting' would all struggle to decipher the conundrum that is Scottish salmon's mortality problem.  

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst we don't know the exact number of mortalities, the public can see the shocking scale of mass mortalities via data published by the Scottish Government, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Salmon Scotland.

 

 

In 2013 the salmon farming industry @ScotlandSalmon successfully lobbied @ScottishEPA not to publish data on the number of dead farmed salmon arguing that disclosure would be 'commercially damaging' https://t.co/knvOj5ostZ @robedwards53
A decade later, mortalities have trebled! pic.twitter.com/IcPAqC5vsA

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 26, 2022

 

 

 

Named & Shamed: Here's Scottish salmon's 50%+ mortality club - sites where more than half the "responsibly sourced" fish died a cruel death! @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua @ScotlandSalmon @MowiScotlandLtd @Folketrygdfond @WesterRossSalmo @GriegShetland @LochDuartSalmon @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/6YJCwkoL2I

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 26, 2022

 

 

 

 

The three companies - Mowi, Bakkafrost Scotland/The Scottish Salmon Company and Norskott Havbruk/Scottish Sea Farms - reporting huge losses this week have all experienced huge problems with diseases, lice infestation and viruses:

 

 

All hail Bakkafrost Scotland (formerly The Scottish Salmon Company) - Scottish salmon's King of Death! https://t.co/Ju6L8xNZjw
How can 82.1% mortality (that's 4 in every 5 fish dying a cruel death) be branded "responsibly sourced"? @rspcaassured @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/zc4OuDlw2x

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 26, 2022

 

 

 

EXPOSED: Mowi's Mortality Nightmare - 59.5% death rate @rspcaassured Loch Greshornish & 55.9% death rate @ASC_aqua Greanem (Grey Horse Outer) @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/OAfRglN8zB
How can Mowi's salmon be marketed as "responsibly sourced"? @sainsburys @Tesco @ASA_UK #Scamon pic.twitter.com/0bshm1oXbX

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 26, 2022

 

 

 

Lies, Damned Lies & Scottish Salmon: When @scotseafarms claim 90% fish survival & 100% @rspcaassured https://t.co/DevAkkEnYh
...What they fail to mention is 40%+ mortality in Kishorn, Lismore, Spelve & Nevis @ScotlandSalmon @marksandspencer @Ecohustler https://t.co/Ju6L8xNZjw pic.twitter.com/xiKHtNkkwJ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 27, 2022

 

 

 

 

New mortality data for September 2022 published yesterday (9 November 2022) by Salmon Scotland suggests that the mortality problem is getting even worse:

 

Shout out to Scottish salmon farming for the highest mortality rate on record - the 4.65% monthly death rate in September 2022 is the highest since data was published in 2018! @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI @LochDuartSalmon @CookeScotland @WesterRossSalmo @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/TtojnPjkIL

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

The Worst of the Worst @ScotlandSalmon - headed by 55.9% mortality in September @LochDuartSalmon in Loch Carnan: that's over half the fish dying in 30 days!!https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI
But don't worry, Loch Duart is @rspcaassured - nothing to see here! https://t.co/UzZDt5a2qZ #RSPCA pic.twitter.com/6KKtrNoIsq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

8,000 tonne shortfall for Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) due to "biological challenges"!

Record Death Rates Plagues Salmon Farms Across Scotland!

Annus Horribilis Salmonis: Mowi's "Troublesome Year" in Scotland - 22% fall in production!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

Death Stalks Scottish Salmon - Rising Mortalities Plague RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Sites!

21% Mortality at Mowi's ASC-Certified & RSPCA Assured Marulaig Bay & Rum in ONE WEEK!!!

Abominable Salmon Certification - the Aquaculture Stewardship Council is Sponsoring Serial Killing in Scotland!

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

Greenwashing by the ASC - you can't polish a turd but you can roll it in glitter!

New Survey Lifts Lid on Falling Production & Rising Mortalities on 'Scottish' Salmon Farms!

Death Deflation: 13 Million Morts On Scottish Salmon Farms in 2021 - More Like 22 Million (& maybe 50 million if you add freshwater)!

Named & Shamed: The Most Deadly Salmon Farms in Scotland (as greenwashed as "responsible" via RSPCA Assured & the ASC)!

Halloween Comes Early at Deadly Scottish Salmon - mortalities pile up due to viral disease, fungus, gill infections & lice infestations!

Death Rates Soar at Salmon Farms (according to data published by Salmon Scotland)

Press Release: "Year of the Dead Salmon: Scottish Salmon Plagued by Mass Mortality Problems"

Media Backgrounder: Year of the Dead Salmon - Bakkafrost Scotland is the King of Death!

Fake News? Over 50% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Farms - how can supermarkets advertise it as "responsibly sourced"?

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

Exposed: 10 Million Morts at RSPCA Assured Mowi Since 2019!

Revealed: 30+ Million Dead Scottish Salmon Since 2017 - over 8 million morts reported last year & over half a million in first two weeks of 2022!!

Mowi's "Woes in Scotland" - Disease & Deaths Cause £5.6 Million Losses!

Over 80% Mortality at The Scottish Salmon Company!!!

ASC-Certified/Audited Mass Mortalities Pile Up at Lousy Mowi & Scottish Sea Farms!

New Mortality Data for Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon - 700,000+ in the first two weeks of December!

Mass mortalities at ASC-certified Mowi!

Dead in the Water - Scottish Salmon's Mortality Mountain Piles Ever Higher in 2021!

Mass Mortalities - 66% in one month at The Scottish Salmon Company on the Isle of Gigha!

Lousy 'Scottish' Salmon - the most lice-infested salmon farms named & shamed!

Irresponsible Scottish Salmon Exposed: 'Scotland's Aquaculture' Publishes Data on Toxic Chemicals Use, Morts & Biomass Breaches

STV News: "Thousands of rotting salmon ‘stink out’ village after mass death at farm"

X-Rated Video: 90% Mortality at The Faroese/Norwegian 'Scottish' Salmon Company?!

Video Nasties of Dead Farmed Salmon Pile Up All Over the World!

Videos of Mort Disposal by The Scottish Salmon Company - like a serial killer disposing of dead bodies before the police arrive!

Demand for moratorium on new fish farms after mortality rates revealed

"The shocking death rates on Scotland's salmon farms revealed"

Rest Assured - the RSPCA has been captured, co-opted & corrupted by the Salmafia

2020: The Year of Diseased Scottish Salmon - 27,000 Tonnes of Dead Fish, the Worst On Record!

Stop the Scottish Salmondemic - please avoid disease-ridden farmed salmon like the proverbial plague!

Taking the Fish - Illegal Salmon Dump Caught Taking Diseased Fish from the Mainland Despite 'Derogation'!

FOI Lifts Lid on the Stench of Scottish Salmon: Government Legal Department Target Illegal Dumping of Diseased Salmon

The Times: "Fish graveyard ‘severely hampers’ life for islanders, officials claim"

Update: Mortality Rate Over 36% At RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon!

Mowi's 'Healthy' RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Salmon Farm at Gorsten (as featured in Seaspiracy)

Netflix's 'Seaspiracy' Exposes Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon – As Sponsored by the RSPCA & Aquaculture Stewardship Council!

Mowi Moves Goalposts on ASC Certification

ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Dead in the Water!

Anyone for ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Doused in Carcinogenic Formaldehyde?

Revealed: Burned, Buried & Ensiled Scottish Salmon 

Update: 25 Million Mass Mortalities on Scottish Salmon Farms

52 million deaths in Norway - how many millions died on Scottish salmon farms in 2020?

The Case Against Scottish Salmon - An Update on Diseases & Mass Mortalities!

2.2 Million Missing Mortalities at Scottish Sea Farms?

Mass Mortalities Continue to Plague Scottish Salmon

Alexa, how many salmon die each year on Scottish salmon farms? 42 million* (but we don't know for sure as the answer is deemed "commercially damaging")!

Over One Million Morts for Scottish Salmon in September 2020!

Survival of the Unhealthiest Scottish Salmon - New data reveals shocking mortality rates!

Dead in the Water - New Data Reveals Mass Mortalities & Disease on Scottish Salmon Farms

The Ferret: "Farmed salmon deaths from disease reach record high"

The Killing Farms - Scottish Salmon's Horror Story Continues!

Solving Scottish Salmon's Multi-Million Mortality Problem

 

 

Scottish Scamon: 52.9% mortality at @rspcaassured Mowi at Noster in Loch Seaforth & 38.1% mortality at Seaforth @sainsburys @Tesco @LidlGB https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI
Both sites were audited @ASC_aqua but certification has "not been awarded" @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/zBalDqlI0K pic.twitter.com/ABcp190JON

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

 

Data Junkies - get your fix of new information on mass mortalities on salmon farms across Scotland - as reported by @scotgov @marinescotland https://t.co/oZtlH0CRpV
Shame on @rspcaassured & @ASC_aqua for greenwashing disease-ridden farmed salmon! @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/cHCqCzaET1

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 4, 2022

 

 

 

8,000 tonne shortfall for Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) due to "biological challenges"!

 

SalMar's "passion for salmon" takes a hit with 8,000 tonne shortfall in 2022 salmon farming output from @rspcaassured Norskott Havbruk (Scottish Sea Farms) https://t.co/ZkkzhH3qTA
Q3 2022 "results affected by biological challenges" (i.e. diseases & lice) @marksandspencer pic.twitter.com/McKawR2gXG

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2022

 

The Norwegian co-owner of RSPCA Assured Norskott Havbruk (Scottish Sea Farms) - exclusive supplier to high-end retailer Marks & Spencer - dropped another bombshell today (10 November 2022) when SalMar's Q3 2022 financial results revealed a 8,000 tonne shortfall in their salmon farming operations in Scotland (SalMar is co-owner of Norskott Havbruk with Norwegian giant Leroy Seafood). 

 

 

 

'Scottish' Salmon Dead in the Water - Norskott Havbruk (Scottish Sea Farms) reveals 8,000 tonne shortfall in 2022 production. Read SalMar's Q3 2022 report online via https://t.co/NZZNTeVwGu@scotseafarms @LeroySeafood @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond @TavishScott @MairiGougeon pic.twitter.com/7cWzH63Qir

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2022

 

 

 

Yahoo News reported (10 November 2022):

 

"Volume guidance on Iceland is kept unchanged and for Scottish Sea Farms the volume guidance is reduced with 8,000 tonnes"

 

 

 

 

 

No explanation was given in SalMar's gushing press release (10 November 2022) of why 8,000 tonnes has suddenly been wiped off Norskott Havbruk's balance sheet but a partial answer to their "weak results" is outlined in SalMar's Q3 2022 presentation when it is admitted that "biological challenges" are plaguing Scottish Sea Farms: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fish Farmer reported (10 November 2022):

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported (10 November 2022):

 

 

It's a sign of how bad Scottish salmon farming is doing that every day the trade press reports yet more mortalities @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott @scotseafarms @LeroySeafood @MairiGougeon https://t.co/j1QJmG8Q9l

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 10, 2022

 

 

News of a 8,000 tonne shortfall in Scotland's #2 salmon farming company (who gobbled up Grieg Seafood in December 2021), follows on the heels of devastating news of a 14,400 tonne 'troublesome' black hole in the finances of Norwegian behemoth Mowi (Scotland's #1 salmon farming company) and 10,000 tonne fall in production at Bakkafrost Scotland (Scotland's #3). 

 

Annus Horribilis Salmonis: Mowi's "Troublesome Year" in Scotland https://t.co/wW3RQnMWTD
2022 farmed salmon production predicted to be 50,000 tonnes - down 22% on the 64,400 tonnes in 2021. "Our Scottish farming operations has experienced a troublesome year" @MowiScotlandLtd pic.twitter.com/hRwvuUHmQU

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole! @Folketrygdfond @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott
The £5 million investment of public money in the deadly Applecross facility @marinescotland & @HIEScotland is dead in the water! https://t.co/xWpvFgUlLT pic.twitter.com/ah1ZkiL2iw

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 8, 2022

 

 

 

$camon Scotland reported yesterday (9 November 2022) on how record death rates are plaguing salmon farms across Scotland:

 

Shout out to Scottish salmon farming for the highest mortality rate on record - the 4.65% monthly death rate in September 2022 is the highest since data was published in 2018! @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI @LochDuartSalmon @CookeScotland @WesterRossSalmo @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/TtojnPjkIL

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

The Worst of the Worst @ScotlandSalmon - headed by 55.9% mortality in September @LochDuartSalmon in Loch Carnan: that's over half the fish dying in 30 days!!https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI
But don't worry, Loch Duart is @rspcaassured - nothing to see here! https://t.co/UzZDt5a2qZ #RSPCA pic.twitter.com/6KKtrNoIsq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

Scottish Scamon: 52.9% mortality at @rspcaassured Mowi at Noster in Loch Seaforth & 38.1% mortality at Seaforth @sainsburys @Tesco @LidlGB https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI
Both sites were audited @ASC_aqua but certification has "not been awarded" @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/zBalDqlI0K pic.twitter.com/ABcp190JON

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported last month on death and disease at Norskott Havbruk (Scottish Sea Farms) in Loch Creran - a feedlot certified as 'responsible' via RSPCA Assured:

 

Gotcha: Secret filming inside @scotseafarms in Loch Creran in July triggered an inspection @scotgov revealing welfare & disease problems with Piscine Reovirus, Heart & Skeletal Muscle Inflammation, exothalmia & "hanging" salmon @rspcaassured @ScotlandSalmon @marksandspencer pic.twitter.com/VFWuJqmRF1

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 29, 2022

 

 

THE SCOTTISH SALMON FARMING SCANDAL: pic.twitter.com/ckLP3yfyKb

— Salmon Scotland (@SalmonScotland) October 29, 2022

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported in September 2022):

 

 

Lies, Damned Lies & Scottish Salmon: When @scotseafarms claim 90% fish survival & 100% @rspcaassured https://t.co/DevAkkEnYh
...What they fail to mention is 40%+ mortality in Kishorn, Lismore, Spelve & Nevis @ScotlandSalmon @marksandspencer @Ecohustler https://t.co/Ju6L8xNZjw pic.twitter.com/xiKHtNkkwJ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 27, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

In July 2022, $camon $cotland covertly filmed inside four salmon farms operated by Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) - including inside Loch Creran - leading to a welfare complaint filed with the SSPCA, RSPCA Assured, Marine Scotland, Police Scotland and the Animal and Plant Health Agency:

 

"Farmed fish are owed a duty of care & protection from unnecessary suffering under animal welfare law" (Edie Bowles @Animallawyersuk) "The findings in this most recent investigation suggest that these legal requirements are not being adequately enforced" @APHAgovuk @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/IRwR8UOLaP

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 12, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Record Death Rates Plagues Salmon Farms Across Scotland!

Annus Horribilis Salmonis: Mowi's "Troublesome Year" in Scotland - 22% fall in production!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

Death Stalks Scottish Salmon - Rising Mortalities Plague RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Sites!

21% Mortality at Mowi's ASC-Certified & RSPCA Assured Marulaig Bay & Rum in ONE WEEK!!!

Abominable Salmon Certification - the Aquaculture Stewardship Council is Sponsoring Serial Killing in Scotland!

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

Greenwashing by the ASC - you can't polish a turd but you can roll it in glitter!

Death Deflation: 13 Million Morts On Scottish Salmon Farms in 2021 - More Like 22 Million (& maybe 50 million if you add freshwater)!

Named & Shamed: The Most Deadly Salmon Farms in Scotland (as greenwashed as "responsible" via RSPCA Assured & the ASC)!

Halloween Comes Early at Deadly Scottish Salmon - mortalities pile up due to viral disease, fungus, gill infections & lice infestations!

Death Rates Soar at Salmon Farms (according to data published by Salmon Scotland)

Press Release: "Year of the Dead Salmon: Scottish Salmon Plagued by Mass Mortality Problems"

Media Backgrounder: Year of the Dead Salmon - Bakkafrost Scotland is the King of Death!

Fake News? Over 50% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Farms - how can supermarkets advertise it as "responsibly sourced"?

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

Exposed: 10 Million Morts at RSPCA Assured Mowi Since 2019!

Revealed: 30+ Million Dead Scottish Salmon Since 2017 - over 8 million morts reported last year & over half a million in first two weeks of 2022!!

Mowi's "Woes in Scotland" - Disease & Deaths Cause £5.6 Million Losses!

Over 80% Mortality at The Scottish Salmon Company!!!

ASC-Certified/Audited Mass Mortalities Pile Up at Lousy Mowi & Scottish Sea Farms!

New Mortality Data for Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon - 700,000+ in the first two weeks of December!

Mass mortalities at ASC-certified Mowi!

Dead in the Water - Scottish Salmon's Mortality Mountain Piles Ever Higher in 2021!

Mass Mortalities - 66% in one month at The Scottish Salmon Company on the Isle of Gigha!

Lousy 'Scottish' Salmon - the most lice-infested salmon farms named & shamed!

Irresponsible Scottish Salmon Exposed: 'Scotland's Aquaculture' Publishes Data on Toxic Chemicals Use, Morts & Biomass Breaches

STV News: "Thousands of rotting salmon ‘stink out’ village after mass death at farm"

X-Rated Video: 90% Mortality at The Faroese/Norwegian 'Scottish' Salmon Company?!

Video Nasties of Dead Farmed Salmon Pile Up All Over the World!

Videos of Mort Disposal by The Scottish Salmon Company - like a serial killer disposing of dead bodies before the police arrive!

Demand for moratorium on new fish farms after mortality rates revealed

"The shocking death rates on Scotland's salmon farms revealed"

Rest Assured - the RSPCA has been captured, co-opted & corrupted by the Salmafia

2020: The Year of Diseased Scottish Salmon - 27,000 Tonnes of Dead Fish, the Worst On Record!

Stop the Scottish Salmondemic - please avoid disease-ridden farmed salmon like the proverbial plague!

Taking the Fish - Illegal Salmon Dump Caught Taking Diseased Fish from the Mainland Despite 'Derogation'!

FOI Lifts Lid on the Stench of Scottish Salmon: Government Legal Department Target Illegal Dumping of Diseased Salmon

The Times: "Fish graveyard ‘severely hampers’ life for islanders, officials claim"

Update: Mortality Rate Over 36% At RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon!

Mowi's 'Healthy' RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Salmon Farm at Gorsten (as featured in Seaspiracy)

Netflix's 'Seaspiracy' Exposes Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon – As Sponsored by the RSPCA & Aquaculture Stewardship Council!

Mowi Moves Goalposts on ASC Certification

ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Dead in the Water!

Anyone for ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Doused in Carcinogenic Formaldehyde?

Revealed: Burned, Buried & Ensiled Scottish Salmon 

Update: 25 Million Mass Mortalities on Scottish Salmon Farms

52 million deaths in Norway - how many millions died on Scottish salmon farms in 2020?

The Case Against Scottish Salmon - An Update on Diseases & Mass Mortalities!

2.2 Million Missing Mortalities at Scottish Sea Farms?

Mass Mortalities Continue to Plague Scottish Salmon

Alexa, how many salmon die each year on Scottish salmon farms? 42 million* (but we don't know for sure as the answer is deemed "commercially damaging")!

Over One Million Morts for Scottish Salmon in September 2020!

Survival of the Unhealthiest Scottish Salmon - New data reveals shocking mortality rates!

Dead in the Water - New Data Reveals Mass Mortalities & Disease on Scottish Salmon Farms

The Ferret: "Farmed salmon deaths from disease reach record high"

The Killing Farms - Scottish Salmon's Horror Story Continues!

Solving Scottish Salmon's Multi-Million Mortality Problem

 

 

 

Record Death Rates Plagues Salmon Farms Across Scotland!

 

Shout out to Scottish salmon farming for the highest mortality rate on record - the 4.65% monthly death rate in September 2022 is the highest since data was published in 2018! @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI @LochDuartSalmon @CookeScotland @WesterRossSalmo @TavishScott pic.twitter.com/TtojnPjkIL

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

 

Mortality data published earlier today by Salmon Scotland - the lobby group set up to promote farmed salmon in Scotland - lifts the lid on the industry's alarming problem with mass mortalities.  Here's the mortality data for September 2022:

 

 

 

The Worst of the Worst @ScotlandSalmon - headed by 55.9% mortality in September @LochDuartSalmon in Loch Carnan: that's over half the fish dying in 30 days!!https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI
But don't worry, Loch Duart is @rspcaassured - nothing to see here! https://t.co/UzZDt5a2qZ #RSPCA pic.twitter.com/6KKtrNoIsq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

Here's the salmon farms which harvested out  during September 2022 - revealing their cumulative mortality rate (i.e. the % of fish which died from when the smolts were inputted into the cages to when they were culled for the market) - headed by Mowi's RSPCA Assured Noster salmon farm in Loch Seaforth:

 

 

Scottish Scamon: 52.9% mortality at @rspcaassured Mowi at Noster in Loch Seaforth & 38.1% mortality at Seaforth @sainsburys @Tesco @LidlGB https://t.co/kjNDyAMOzI
Both sites were audited @ASC_aqua but certification has "not been awarded" @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/zBalDqlI0K pic.twitter.com/ABcp190JON

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported (9 November 2022):

 

 

 

Read more via:

Annus Horribilis Salmonis: Mowi's "Troublesome Year" in Scotland - 22% fall in production!

Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!

Death Stalks Scottish Salmon - Rising Mortalities Plague RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Sites!

21% Mortality at Mowi's ASC-Certified & RSPCA Assured Marulaig Bay & Rum in ONE WEEK!!!

Abominable Salmon Certification - the Aquaculture Stewardship Council is Sponsoring Serial Killing in Scotland!

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

Greenwashing by the ASC - you can't polish a turd but you can roll it in glitter!

Death Deflation: 13 Million Morts On Scottish Salmon Farms in 2021 - More Like 22 Million (& maybe 50 million if you add freshwater)!

Named & Shamed: The Most Deadly Salmon Farms in Scotland (as greenwashed as "responsible" via RSPCA Assured & the ASC)!

Halloween Comes Early at Deadly Scottish Salmon - mortalities pile up due to viral disease, fungus, gill infections & lice infestations!

Death Rates Soar at Salmon Farms (according to data published by Salmon Scotland)

Press Release: "Year of the Dead Salmon: Scottish Salmon Plagued by Mass Mortality Problems"

Media Backgrounder: Year of the Dead Salmon - Bakkafrost Scotland is the King of Death!

Fake News? Over 50% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Farms - how can supermarkets advertise it as "responsibly sourced"?

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

Exposed: 10 Million Morts at RSPCA Assured Mowi Since 2019!

Revealed: 30+ Million Dead Scottish Salmon Since 2017 - over 8 million morts reported last year & over half a million in first two weeks of 2022!!

Mowi's "Woes in Scotland" - Disease & Deaths Cause £5.6 Million Losses!

Over 80% Mortality at The Scottish Salmon Company!!!

ASC-Certified/Audited Mass Mortalities Pile Up at Lousy Mowi & Scottish Sea Farms!

New Mortality Data for Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon - 700,000+ in the first two weeks of December!

Mass mortalities at ASC-certified Mowi!

Dead in the Water - Scottish Salmon's Mortality Mountain Piles Ever Higher in 2021!

Mass Mortalities - 66% in one month at The Scottish Salmon Company on the Isle of Gigha!

Lousy 'Scottish' Salmon - the most lice-infested salmon farms named & shamed!

Irresponsible Scottish Salmon Exposed: 'Scotland's Aquaculture' Publishes Data on Toxic Chemicals Use, Morts & Biomass Breaches

STV News: "Thousands of rotting salmon ‘stink out’ village after mass death at farm"

X-Rated Video: 90% Mortality at The Faroese/Norwegian 'Scottish' Salmon Company?!

Video Nasties of Dead Farmed Salmon Pile Up All Over the World!

Videos of Mort Disposal by The Scottish Salmon Company - like a serial killer disposing of dead bodies before the police arrive!

Demand for moratorium on new fish farms after mortality rates revealed

"The shocking death rates on Scotland's salmon farms revealed"

Rest Assured - the RSPCA has been captured, co-opted & corrupted by the Salmafia

2020: The Year of Diseased Scottish Salmon - 27,000 Tonnes of Dead Fish, the Worst On Record!

Stop the Scottish Salmondemic - please avoid disease-ridden farmed salmon like the proverbial plague!

Taking the Fish - Illegal Salmon Dump Caught Taking Diseased Fish from the Mainland Despite 'Derogation'!

FOI Lifts Lid on the Stench of Scottish Salmon: Government Legal Department Target Illegal Dumping of Diseased Salmon

The Times: "Fish graveyard ‘severely hampers’ life for islanders, officials claim"

Update: Mortality Rate Over 36% At RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon!

Mowi's 'Healthy' RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Salmon Farm at Gorsten (as featured in Seaspiracy)

Netflix's 'Seaspiracy' Exposes Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon – As Sponsored by the RSPCA & Aquaculture Stewardship Council!

Mowi Moves Goalposts on ASC Certification

ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Dead in the Water!

Anyone for ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Doused in Carcinogenic Formaldehyde?

Revealed: Burned, Buried & Ensiled Scottish Salmon 

Update: 25 Million Mass Mortalities on Scottish Salmon Farms

52 million deaths in Norway - how many millions died on Scottish salmon farms in 2020?

The Case Against Scottish Salmon - An Update on Diseases & Mass Mortalities!

2.2 Million Missing Mortalities at Scottish Sea Farms?

Mass Mortalities Continue to Plague Scottish Salmon

Alexa, how many salmon die each year on Scottish salmon farms? 42 million* (but we don't know for sure as the answer is deemed "commercially damaging")!

Over One Million Morts for Scottish Salmon in September 2020!

Survival of the Unhealthiest Scottish Salmon - New data reveals shocking mortality rates!

Dead in the Water - New Data Reveals Mass Mortalities & Disease on Scottish Salmon Farms

The Ferret: "Farmed salmon deaths from disease reach record high"

The Killing Farms - Scottish Salmon's Horror Story Continues!

Solving Scottish Salmon's Multi-Million Mortality Problem

 

 

 

All hail Bakkafrost Scotland (formerly The Scottish Salmon Company) - Scottish salmon's King of Death! https://t.co/Ju6L8xNZjw
How can 82.1% mortality (that's 4 in every 5 fish dying a cruel death) be branded "responsibly sourced"? @rspcaassured @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/zc4OuDlw2x

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 26, 2022

 

Annus Horribilis Salmonis: Mowi's "Troublesome Year" in Scotland - 22% fall in production!

 

Annus Horribilis Salmonis: Mowi's "Troublesome Year" in Scotland https://t.co/wW3RQnMWTD
2022 farmed salmon production predicted to be 50,000 tonnes - down 22% on the 64,400 tonnes in 2021. "Our Scottish farming operations has experienced a troublesome year" @MowiScotlandLtd pic.twitter.com/hRwvuUHmQU

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

Back in 1992, Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II referred to the year as her 'Annus Horribilis' which she would not look back on with 'undiluted pleasure'. 

 

 

 

When Norwegian giant Mowi - who have held a Royal Warrant for over 30 years  and who market their factory farmed salmon as "responsibly sourced" via RSPCA Assured where Her Majesty the Queen is still listed as royal patron - may look back on 2022 as their very own Annus Horribilis Salmonis.

 

 

 

Mowi's Q3 2022 financial report - published earlier today (9 November 2022) - certainly makes for grim reading for shareholders in the Norwegian behemoth.   "Our Scottish farming operations has experienced a troublesome year with regards to biology and the 2022 volume guidance has been reduced," reports the Q3 2022 report. 

 

 

Mowi's Q3 2022 report remembers Her Majesty the Queen with "pride" (a word nobody in their right mind could truthfully use in the same sentence as RSPCA Assured and ASC-certified Mowi Scotland):

 

 

 

Mowi's Q3 2022 presentation published earlier today (9 November 2022) cannot hide the problems in Scotland:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fish Farmer reported (9 November 2022):

 

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported (9 November 2022):

 

 

Mowi know they're really up s**t creek in Scotland when the pro-salmon farming trade press report on their "troublesome year" & 10,000 tonne losses in 2022! @MowiScotlandLtd @fishfarmermag @salmonfarming1 https://t.co/wW3RQnMWTD @TavishScott @ScotlandSalmon @HamishMacdonell pic.twitter.com/LZ8h9QGnx8

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 9, 2022

 

 

Delve down deeper into mortality data published by the salmon farming industry, the Scottish Government and Mowi themselves and the horrible nature of 2022 becomes all too clear.  $camon $cotland reported last week (3 November 2022):

 

 

REVEALED: Mass mortalities continue to pile up at @MowiScotlandLtd salmon farms certified as 'responsible' @ASC_aqua @rspcaassured
- 326,169 morts at Stulaigh, 180,660 at Muck & 176,588 at Marulaig since September @marinescotland https://t.co/oZtlH0Usht
WTF?! @sainsburys @Tesco pic.twitter.com/AfRdtriLuf

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 3, 2022

 

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported last month (23 October 2022):

 

EXPOSED: 21% mortality in ONE WEEK at Mowi's Marulaig Bay salmon farm in South Uist - nothing to see here as it's certified as "farmed responsibly" @ASC_aqua & welfare-friendly via @rspcaassured https://t.co/Tzx20nWZRr @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott @MairiGougeon pic.twitter.com/8w3UwePVGG

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 23, 2022

 

 

Read & Weep: 19.5% mortality (that's one in every five fish dead) in ONE WEEK @MowiScotlandLtd in South Uist (Stulaigh) & 15.5% on Muck @ScotlandSalmon
How can you condone such profound animal cruelty as "responsible"? @ASC_aqua @rspcaassured @RSPCAChris https://t.co/Sc3IPkwtyg pic.twitter.com/03gjFRdXiT

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 23, 2022

 

 

Here's data for June 2022 which reveals a staggering mortality rate of 55.9% at Mowi's Greanem salmon farm in North Uist (a site certified by the ASC in April 2022 and accredited as 'welfare-friendly' via RSPCA Assured):

 

 

How can 56% mortality (i.e. over half the fish dying) be marketed as "responsibly farmed" & "responsibly sourced" @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua @Tesco @sainsburys @MowiScotlandLtd ? https://t.co/PuckNO9qq9 @ASA_UK @ClientEarth @SSC_seafood @LidlGB @AldiUK @ScotlandSalmon #Greenwash pic.twitter.com/h9bILNMmWR

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 23, 2022

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported last month (11 October 2022):

 

A closer examination of new mortality data published on 6 October 2022 by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate reveals which salmon farms in Scotland are the most deadly in terms of mass mortalities.  Here's the list of Scottish salmon's worst serial killers since data was reported by salmon farming companies in 2017* - headed by hatcheries where mortalities are more pronounced in terms of numbers:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$camon $cotland reported in September 2022:

 

EXPOSED: Mowi's Mortality Nightmare - 59.5% death rate @rspcaassured Loch Greshornish & 55.9% death rate @ASC_aqua Greanem (Grey Horse Outer) @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/OAfRglN8zB
How can Mowi's salmon be marketed as "responsibly sourced"? @sainsburys @Tesco @ASA_UK #Scamon pic.twitter.com/0bshm1oXbX

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 26, 2022

 

 

 

Mowi's Q2 2022 financial report published in August 2022 also detailed huge problems in Scotland:

 

Mowi's Q2 2022 report reveals that Scottish salmon farming production fell 32% from Q2 2021 (falling from 19,162 to 12,954 tonnes) due to disease problems such as AGD & CMS, treatment mortality & poor quality "externally sourced" eggs @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/7VPQLKsfHP pic.twitter.com/u6gmrCJUip

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 24, 2022

 

 

"Incident based mortality losses in the quarter amounted to EUR 2.8 million mainly related to gill issues, treatment mortality & predators...the biological situation has been negatively impacted by gill issues, including AGD, algae & jelly fish" https://t.co/7VPQLKsfHP pic.twitter.com/dSbvWnrbZq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 24, 2022

 

 

Read more via:

Death Stalks Scottish Salmon - Rising Mortalities Plague RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Sites!

21% Mortality at Mowi's ASC-Certified & RSPCA Assured Marulaig Bay & Rum in ONE WEEK!!!

Abominable Salmon Certification - the Aquaculture Stewardship Council is Sponsoring Serial Killing in Scotland!

Scottish Scamon: Piscine Reovirus, skin lesions/boils & "hanging" salmon in Loch Creran (sold by M&S as "responsibly sourced" & certified via RSPCA Assured)!

RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Infested with 50 Lice, Poxvirus, Necrosis, Lesions & Myocarditis!

Salmon Hell on 'God's Island' - Mass Mortalities Pile Up (Again) at RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost off Isle of Gigha!

Greenwashing by the ASC - you can't polish a turd but you can roll it in glitter!

Death Deflation: 13 Million Morts On Scottish Salmon Farms in 2021 - More Like 22 Million (& maybe 50 million if you add freshwater)!

Named & Shamed: The Most Deadly Salmon Farms in Scotland (as greenwashed as "responsible" via RSPCA Assured & the ASC)!

Halloween Comes Early at Deadly Scottish Salmon - mortalities pile up due to viral disease, fungus, gill infections & lice infestations!

Death Rates Soar at Salmon Farms (according to data published by Salmon Scotland)

Press Release: "Year of the Dead Salmon: Scottish Salmon Plagued by Mass Mortality Problems"

Media Backgrounder: Year of the Dead Salmon - Bakkafrost Scotland is the King of Death!

Fake News? Over 50% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon Farms - how can supermarkets advertise it as "responsibly sourced"?

56% Mortality at RSPCA Assured Mowi (but don't worry, it's certified as "farmed responsibly" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)!

Exposed: 10 Million Morts at RSPCA Assured Mowi Since 2019!

Revealed: 30+ Million Dead Scottish Salmon Since 2017 - over 8 million morts reported last year & over half a million in first two weeks of 2022!!

Mowi's "Woes in Scotland" - Disease & Deaths Cause £5.6 Million Losses!

Over 80% Mortality at The Scottish Salmon Company!!!

ASC-Certified/Audited Mass Mortalities Pile Up at Lousy Mowi & Scottish Sea Farms!

New Mortality Data for Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon - 700,000+ in the first two weeks of December!

Mass mortalities at ASC-certified Mowi!

Dead in the Water - Scottish Salmon's Mortality Mountain Piles Ever Higher in 2021!

Mass Mortalities - 66% in one month at The Scottish Salmon Company on the Isle of Gigha!

Lousy 'Scottish' Salmon - the most lice-infested salmon farms named & shamed!

Irresponsible Scottish Salmon Exposed: 'Scotland's Aquaculture' Publishes Data on Toxic Chemicals Use, Morts & Biomass Breaches

STV News: "Thousands of rotting salmon ‘stink out’ village after mass death at farm"

X-Rated Video: 90% Mortality at The Faroese/Norwegian 'Scottish' Salmon Company?!

Video Nasties of Dead Farmed Salmon Pile Up All Over the World!

Videos of Mort Disposal by The Scottish Salmon Company - like a serial killer disposing of dead bodies before the police arrive!

Demand for moratorium on new fish farms after mortality rates revealed

"The shocking death rates on Scotland's salmon farms revealed"

Rest Assured - the RSPCA has been captured, co-opted & corrupted by the Salmafia

2020: The Year of Diseased Scottish Salmon - 27,000 Tonnes of Dead Fish, the Worst On Record!

Stop the Scottish Salmondemic - please avoid disease-ridden farmed salmon like the proverbial plague!

Taking the Fish - Illegal Salmon Dump Caught Taking Diseased Fish from the Mainland Despite 'Derogation'!

FOI Lifts Lid on the Stench of Scottish Salmon: Government Legal Department Target Illegal Dumping of Diseased Salmon

The Times: "Fish graveyard ‘severely hampers’ life for islanders, officials claim"

Update: Mortality Rate Over 36% At RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon!

Mowi's 'Healthy' RSPCA Assured & ASC-Certified Salmon Farm at Gorsten (as featured in Seaspiracy)

Netflix's 'Seaspiracy' Exposes Disease-Ridden Scottish Salmon – As Sponsored by the RSPCA & Aquaculture Stewardship Council!

Mowi Moves Goalposts on ASC Certification

ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Dead in the Water!

Anyone for ASC-Certified Scottish Salmon Doused in Carcinogenic Formaldehyde?

Revealed: Burned, Buried & Ensiled Scottish Salmon 

Update: 25 Million Mass Mortalities on Scottish Salmon Farms

52 million deaths in Norway - how many millions died on Scottish salmon farms in 2020?

The Case Against Scottish Salmon - An Update on Diseases & Mass Mortalities!

2.2 Million Missing Mortalities at Scottish Sea Farms?

Mass Mortalities Continue to Plague Scottish Salmon

Alexa, how many salmon die each year on Scottish salmon farms? 42 million* (but we don't know for sure as the answer is deemed "commercially damaging")!

Over One Million Morts for Scottish Salmon in September 2020!

Survival of the Unhealthiest Scottish Salmon - New data reveals shocking mortality rates!

Dead in the Water - New Data Reveals Mass Mortalities & Disease on Scottish Salmon Farms

The Ferret: "Farmed salmon deaths from disease reach record high"

The Killing Farms - Scottish Salmon's Horror Story Continues!

Solving Scottish Salmon's Multi-Million Mortality Problem

 

 

A decade ago I fought a SLAPP suit in Canada vs @Cermaq (then owned by @NFdep). Now I am being sued by Norwegian behemoth @MowiScotlandLtd for exposing welfare abuse inside their salmon feedlots in Scotland - the fight to defend public waters is on! https://t.co/8DiUbdgavy pic.twitter.com/SA0YDNC1UV

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 2, 2022

 

Salmon farm firm takes legal action against animal welfare campaigner. https://t.co/WvAYizqTSJ

— STV News (@STVNews) October 11, 2021

 

 

STV News: "Given the gruesome nature of welfare abuse, mass mortalities & lice infestations it is not surprising that this Norwegian-owned behemoth wants to stop the public from finding out the ugly truth about Scottish salmon" https://t.co/HlRWu4RmVO @STVNews @giannilmarini pic.twitter.com/o8kveENGsj

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 11, 2021