"Loose Bullet Casing" found at ASC-certified Mowi salmon farm - the £10,000 smoking gun to prosecute for illegal killing of seals?

Calling All Whistleblowers: Animal Concern & Scottish Salmon Watch is offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to a successful prosecution of a salmon farmer for killing seals https://t.co/8g1Ux1tZ98 @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon @LochDuartSalmon @CookeScotland https://t.co/U8qRsqBrqu pic.twitter.com/Fh9ogF7Qwt
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for an inspection of Mowi's Groatay salmon farm in July 2022 - recently slipped out by the Scottish Government - could be the smoking gun required to prosecute a salmon farmer for the illegal killing of seals in Scotland (if you're reading this and have more evidence please pass on via [email protected] and there could be a £10,000 reward if it leads to a successful police prosecution!):

Don Staniford, Director of $camon $cotland, said in a press statement (29 November 2022):

"A bullet casing found at the scene of the crime seems to be the smoking gun needed to finally convict Mowi for the illegal killing of seals after decades of rumours. This damning evidence jeopardises Scottish salmon's $200 million exports to the United States. The killing of seals is not only illegal but it's ethically and morally wrong. Yet, Mowi's Groatay salmon farm is shamefully certified as 'welfare friendly' via RSPCA Assured; greenwashed as 'farmed responsibly' via the Aquaculture Stewardship Council and sold by Sainsburys and Tesco as 'responsibly sourced'. The RSPCA, ASC and supermarkets should do the right thing and immediately fire Mowi. You'd have to put a gun to my head for me to even consider eating Scottish salmon."

John Robins of the charity Animal Concern said in a press statement (29 November 2022): "We have a £5,000 reward for information leading to the successful prosecution of anyone shooting seals in Scotland. If someone witnessed this bullet being used I’d like to hear from them. Police divers should search beneath the farm cages to see if there is more evidence indicating illegal persecution of seals or other wildlife."

John Robins from the campaign group Animal Concern accused the Government of ignoring breaches to the seal shooting rules. He has offered a £5,000 reward for information leading to a conviction for illegally shooting seals at salmon farms @DailyMirror https://t.co/scDD38SSQl
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 28, 2021

Ex-policeman Mark Carter of Seal Scotland said in a press statement (29 November 2022):

Mark Carter of Marine Concern 28 Nov 2022 #1

Mowi's Groatay salmon farm is one of the most remote in Scotland - located in the Sound of Harris in North Uist in the Outer Hebrides:

In June 2020, Scottish Ministers announced a ban on the killing of seals to comply with the Marine Mammal Protection Act in the United States (the US MMPA came into force on 1 January 2022 after a five-year exemption period):

Salmon farmers will be banned from shooting seals & face tougher controls on using acoustic devices @guardian @severincarrell https://t.co/w2Dh4tCQUA Scottish ministers are introducing the measures due to fears the US could ban salmon @marinescotland @NOAA @scotgp @nature_scot
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) June 17, 2020

The new Scottish law came into force on 1 February 2021 - with Animal Concern announcing a £5,000 reward:

GenusWave reported on their website in 2021 that the killing of seals would be outlawed by the US MMPA on 1 January 2022:

"The clock is ticking louder and louder. All salmon-producing nations face a ban on exporting to the US after January 1, 2022, unless they comply with the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), which prohibits conventional acoustic deterrent devices (ADDs) and the shooting of seals. Such a prohibition will leave many salmon farmers without an effective, cost-efficient way to reduce predation."

Back in September 2016, the Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture reported on the 5-year exemption period which started on 1 January 2017 (i.e. until 1 January 2022 - as confirmed by the US Government):

The ban on the killing of seals was a long time coming.

Despite the ban on seal killing in Scotland and the US MMPA ban, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's latest 'Salmon Standard' (Version 1.4) published in September 2022 still permits the killing of seals (Mowi's Groatay salmon farm was certified by the ASC in April 2022):

The latest 'RSPCA welfare standards for farmed Atlantic salmon' published in February 2021 also still permits the killing of seals "as a last resort only, i.e. when all available non-lethal deterrents have been effectively deployed" and even includes a 'Seal Cull' reporting form for salmon farmers to fill out in blood red biro after they've shot a seal illegally:

Groatay illegal seal July 2022 #6b RSPCA

The latest version of the RSPCA's farmed salmon standards - published in February 2021 - makes for alarming reading (especially if you're unlucky to be a seal living near a salmon farm) @rspcaassured @RSPCA_PATeam @RSPCAChris @RSPCA_official @scotseafarms https://t.co/64dNCuCC3Z pic.twitter.com/XESYFQYR3k
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) May 13, 2021

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in July 2021:

50,000+ Scottish salmon scared to death by seals claim @salmon_scottish "Mortality occuring from seals spooking fish" report @marinescotland "Seals were spooking them causing them to injure themselves" @SSPOsays @Try_Lochlander @MairiGougeon @scotgov https://t.co/BY89Akfn71 pic.twitter.com/Gu1lkFH5oX
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 6, 2021

The Sunday Mail reported in July 2021:

Professor Callum Roberts, of Exeter Uni, said: “These animals are friendly. The salmon farms are trying to put a spin on their indefensible practice of shooting seals” @Daily_Record https://t.co/byC8ot3Xqh @tavishscott @SSPOsays @marinescotland @HamishMacdonell @SealScotland
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 4, 2021

The Ferret reported in June 2021:

"Those found guilty of breaking the new laws could face a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both" (@scotgov) https://t.co/SX9fsSONf7 @FerretScot
Which members of @rspcaassured 'Scottish' Salmon have killed seals illegally? @scotseafarms @SSPOsays
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) June 8, 2021

In April 2021, Animal Concern and Scottish Salmon Watch issued a £10,000 reward for information leading to a successful prosecution for the illegal killing of seals on salmon farms.

A £10,000 reward has been offered for information on the illegal shooting of seals after it emerged Police Scotland and the National Wildlife Crime Unit were passed intelligence reports about a number of killings.https://t.co/opzT3BtGvC
— The Ferret (@FerretScot) April 26, 2021

The £10,000 reward offer followed a FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government on 1 April 2021 which detailed 'Intelligence Reports' where seals were suspected of being killed by salmon farmers:

The Scottish Government's FOI disclosure (1 April 2021) included this Intelligence Report at Mowi's Carradale salmon farm in 2018:

Email just in from an industry whistleblower: "A long-standing Mowi manager once shot a seal on Lewis with a shotgun & laughed as the poor creature writhed around screaming as it died slowly & painfully with a shotgun wound to the side of the head" @ScotlandMowi @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/1gsKU8l1eP
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 26, 2021

In March 2021, Scottish Salmon Watch issued a call out for photos of dead seals.

Calling All Whistleblowers - please pass on photos of dead seals killed at salmon farms! https://t.co/xFcHeR4kEv @SSPOsays @salmon_scottish @scotseafarms @ScotlandMowi @GriegShetland @CookeScotland @LochDuartSalmon @WesterRossSalmo @Try_Lochlander @ptfss @strandings @tavishscott pic.twitter.com/NTpiU44pQ1
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 1, 2021

Scottish Salmon Watch published photos of seals killed by salmon farms obtained via Freedom of Information:

Photo Exclusive: Seals 'Executed' by Scottish Salmon https://t.co/88Kn1lZwpx @SSPOsays @salmon_scottish @scotseafarms @strandings @marinescotland @NOAA @RuralPolicySRUC @SRUC @rspcaassured @SSPCA_Mike @SSPCA_Kirsteen @RSPCAChris @Try_Lochlander @coopuk @marksandspencer @Tesco pic.twitter.com/XDimhpTbXi
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 8, 2021

Photo #1 Taranaish seal in bin January 2020

Photo #2 Cooke bloody seal eyes popping out Unst December 2018

Next time you see Scottish salmon in the supermarket please think of 1,000+ seals killed on salmon farms since 2011. If you buy Scottish salmon you have blood on your hands! https://t.co/88Kn1lZwpx @salmon_scottish @SSPOsays @Try_Lochlander @coopuk @ciwf @PETAUK @onekindtweet pic.twitter.com/0IJ7kz67Rb
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 8, 2021

The Sunday Times reported in March 2021:

John Robins of Animal Concern in today's @SundayTimesScot: "Seals appear to have been killed & disposed of illegally as a matter of course" @SSPOsays @ScotlandMowi @salmon_scottish @scotseafarms @GriegShetland @CookeScotland @LochDuartSalmon @tavishscott https://t.co/ax00cS341M pic.twitter.com/CcRJjenlef
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 7, 2021

In February 2021, Scottish Salmon Watch Tweeted:

Whistleblower on RSPCA Assured salmon farmer killing seals illegally: "I know an insider at Mowi who confirms the company shoots a lot more seals than what they report" @ScotlandMowi "Plenty goes unreported" @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @rspcaassured https://t.co/Y3kY2D6BoI pic.twitter.com/c8aKR6iz28
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 26, 2021

A press release issued in February 2021 - and media splash in The Daily Mirror - stemmed from a tip-off from a whistlelower in October 2020:

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in February 2021:

Photo Exclusive: Juvenile harbour seal killed by @ScotlandMowi in Loch Ewe - authorised by the SSPCA & certified via @rspcaassured but reported by @marinescotland to @policescotland for being killed without licence https://t.co/OlIMhcxoBJ @SealScotland @SOSealsFund @SSPCA_Mike pic.twitter.com/8xOsxTEYzS
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 25, 2021

Here's the steps RSPCA-certified Marine Harvest (Mowi) go through before dispatching (i.e. killing) seals at 'Bay of the Dead Heads' salmon farm @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @nature_scot @TheSoundOfJura @ewangkennedy @SealifeA @rspcaassured @whalesorg @scotgp @MairiGougeon pic.twitter.com/eK2f0V9Tcs
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) June 11, 2020

The Sunday Post reported in February 2019:

"Following an investigation by Marine Scotland Cooke Aquaculture was fined £2,000 for failing to report the killing of seals in Basta Voe to the licencing authority within 48 hours"

Groatay illegal seal July 2022 #9 Cooke fine

Groatay illegal seal July 2022 #10 Cooke fine

Watch video reports from wildlife champion Lizzie Daly:

Back in 2018, Lizzie Daly said she was not going to stand by whilst seals are being shot. Thanks to her shocking video footage @CookeScotland was fined £2,000 @ScotlandSalmon @TavishScott https://t.co/M00n4n5A0l
But the killing continues! https://t.co/u5EQnrC2vR @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/9lZpuocfe6
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

The Sunday Times quoted Mowi boss Ben Hadfield in 2017 justifying the killing of seals:

"If seals keep attacking the fish, then, like a farmer kills foxes, we shoot them" said Ben Hadfield in 2017 @ScotlandMowi "We are trying to find ways around it — we want to get down to zero seal culling" @SundayTimesScot https://t.co/ZlObA7yLxv @tavishscott @SSPOsays pic.twitter.com/wBXqOxawPy
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 6, 2021

The illegal killing of seals by Mowi (then named Marine Harvest) in Loch Alsh was raised back in 2005 via BBC News - following photographic evidence taken by tourist operator Nigel Smith: