Mowi has not reported a seal killed at Groatay since March 2018 - how can a loose bullet casing survive over 4 years on a stormy salmon pen?!

 

Which is more likely: a) Mowi killing a seal illegally? or b) a loose bullet casing staying on the Groatay salmon farm in stormy North Uist waters for over 4 years?https://t.co/GGy9YBZKHZ @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @ScotlandSalmon @PoliceScotland @rspcaassured @FerretScot pic.twitter.com/93cx1eyANJ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

$camon $cotland has ground-truthed claims by Mowi's director of communications (Ian Roberts) that the "loose bullet casing" found during an inspection of Mowi's Groatay salmon farm in North Uist in July 2022 was "several years old" - if Mowi's claims are true then the bullet would have had to survive three harsh Winters and maybe a dozen storms since Mowi last reported a seal killed at Groatay salmon farm in March 2018!

 

 

Mowi's director of comms spinning away a bullet found on @MowiScotlandLtd's salmon cage in July (after the ban on killing seals): "The bullet casing was severely degraded & appeared to be several years old" https://t.co/zNRDuOb6pL #bollocks @ScotlandSalmon @marinescotland pic.twitter.com/xjOanx5ZyB

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

Official statistics on seals killed by salmon farmers since 2011 are published by the Scottish Government online here

 

 

 

Here is data for 2020 which show that Mowi reported 15 seals killed at sites in Kilbrannan Sound (Eilean Grianain/Carradale), Loch Shell on the Isle of Lewis (Caolas a Deas), Loch Ewe (Isle of Ewe), Colonsay, Loch a Choire/Loch Linnhe (Kingairloch), Isle of Skye (Sconser Quarry, Sconser & Harport), Isle of Barra (Hellisay) but none at Groatay salmon farm or any other sites in North Uist [remember that in June 2020 the Scottish Government announced plans to ban the killing of seals by salmon farms - a ban which came into force on 1 February 2021]:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is official seal killing data at Mowi (Marine Harvest) salmon farms in 2019 - including 24 seals killed at salmon farms off the Isle of Lewis (Tabhaigh and North Shore in Loch Erisort), Sound of Jura (BDNC), Loch Alsh (Ardintoul), Isle of Skye (Sconser, Greshornish & Maol Ban), Isle of Muck, Isle of Colonsay, Loch Ewe (Isle Ewe), Loch Sunart (Camas Glas), Loch Torridon and Kilbrannan Sound (Eilean Grianain/Carradale) - but none at Groatay salmon farm:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is official seal killing data for 2018 which shows that Mowi (then called Marine Harvest - the company changed their name in 2019 due to "negative consumer perception" in the name Marine Harvest) reported a seal killed at Groatay salmon farm on 19 March 2018: 

 

 

 

 

A Fish Health Inspectorate report for an inspection of Mowi's Groatay salmon farm in July 2022 - recently slipped out by the Scottish Government - detailed how a "loose bullet casing" was found on the walkway of pen 32:

 

 

 

Here's video from the Summer of 2020 of a crushed salmon cage https://t.co/mwyML7Ql95
How can Mowi seriously claim a "loose bullet casing" can survive three Winters & dozens of storms on an exposed walkway in North Uist? @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/GGy9YBZKHZ pic.twitter.com/Y0XoPYdFoF

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in February 2021:

 

Named & Shamed: Salmon farmers killed over 1,000 seals since 2011. Don't buy Scottish salmon stained with the blood of Scotland's seals! https://t.co/Y3kY2D6BoI@SSPOsays @scotseafarms @salmon_scottish @ScotlandMowi @LochDuartSalmon @CookeScotland @GriegShetland @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/BWOFSl1mTa

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 27, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

The Sunday Times reported in 2017:

 

 

 

Mowi's boss in Scotland, Ben Hadfield, told The Times in 2017: "If seals keep attacking the fish, then, like a farmer kills foxes, we shoot them" @timesscotland @DailyMirror @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon @marinescotland @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua https://t.co/kx9QJrZEhV #Mowi pic.twitter.com/C7XCSHiKkn

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022

 

 

 

Read more via:

The Ferret: "Bullet shell found at Western Isles fish farm"

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

Killer Photos - Sealed with a Kiss of Death from Scottish Salmon!

 

The Ferret: "Row erupts between Marine Scotland and private firm over seal scarers"

 

The Ferret: "Critics claim “landmark victory” after curbs on seal scarers"

 

Blood Salmoney: Bonnie the Seal Mascot for COP26 is Dead in the Water!

 

Seals Blamed as Scapegoats by Bloodthirsty Scottish Salmon!

 

Sunday Mail: "Ex-MSP ridiculed for claiming seals are dangerous to humans"

The Ferret: "Police investigate allegation seal was illegally shot by fish farm"

RSPCA Sponsored Seal Killing Continues Despite US Ban?

Herald On Sunday: "Scottish M&S supplier blames seals for salmon wounds as RSPCA Assured status is suspended"

The Ferret: "£10,000 reward for information on illegal seal killing after police asked to investigate deaths"

£10,000 Reward Offered - Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms in the Cross Hairs!

FOI Disclosure: Seal Licence Breaches by Salmon Farms (reply by Scottish Government on 1 April 2021)

Photo Exclusive: Seals 'Executed' by Scottish Salmon

FOI disclosure from Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme

Police Scotland refuse to name 112 marksmen licenced to kill seals!

Sunday Times: "Sharp rise in seal shootings blew hole in permit scheme - Officials were warned that salmon farmers ‘had no willingness or intention’ to collect detailed data"

Calling All Whistleblowers - Please pass on photos of dead seals killed at salmon farms!

Daily Mirror: "'Nearly 80 seals were legally shot in Scotland in 2020 – highest number in seven years'"

Scottish Salmon's #1 Seal Killer - Norway's 'Scottish' Sea Farms Named & Shamed!

Official Data: 1,000+ seals killed by salmon farms since 2011!

The Ferret: "Salmon companies rapped for breaking rules on shooting seals"

Caught in the Cross-Hairs: Illegal Killing of Seals by Scottish Salmon Farms!

FOI opens sealed documents on killing by salmon farms

Greedy Salmon Farmers Demand £13 Million Compensation for Seal Attacks!

£5,000 reward offered for information on illegal shooting of seals

Victory Sealed After 50-Year Campaign - But the Battle to Save Marine Mammals from Salmon Farms Continues!

The Guardian: "Scottish salmon farmers to be banned from shooting seals"

Photo Gallery: Seals Against Salmon Farms!

Caught Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea

The Ferret: "Seal scarers used by fish farms branded 'sonic torture'"

Seal shooting at salmon farms doubles before ban

Ban on seal shooting must be watertight

Greens want ban on seal scarers

Seals in the Cross-Hairs of the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Salmon's Slaughter of Seals Has Not Stopped!

Sunday Herald: "Revealed: Scottish Government bid to exempt salmon farming from US seal-killing ban"

RSPCA in firing line over Marine Harvest's seal-killing spree in Scotland - 118 seals killed by Marine Harvest's RSPCA Assured farms since 2011

Marine Harvest: Scotland's #1 Seal Killer

All At Sea: Seal-Killing Salmon Farms

Scottish Salmon Blinded by Seal Killing

The Two Billion Dollar Salmon Ban

Closing the Net On 'Seal-Friendly' Scottish Salmon - last orders on the RSPCA's abuse of 'last resort' killing of seals?

Seal shooting by fish farms to be banned to save exports to US

Cecil the Seal Killers Named & Shamed in Scotland - Call for Boycott of "Seal Unfriendly" Scottish Salmon

Media Splash for Seal-Killing Salmon Farms!

VICTORY: Disclosure of Seal-Killing Salmon Farm Data Ordered by 21 August

Scottish Salmon's Secret Seal Killers! - FOI refusal prompts call for boycott of farmed salmon

Lethal Scottish Farmed Salmon: Serial Seal Killers Named & Shamed!

Scottish Salmon's Seal Killers Named & Shamed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

ADDENDUM:

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 8, 2022 at 6:27 AM
Subject: FOI re. seals & salmon farms since 1 February 2021
To: <CEU@gov.scot>

 

Please provide information on seals and salmon farms since 1 February 2021.

 

Please include photos, videos, letters, emails and any other documents in relation to seals and salmon farms.

 

Please include data and information on any seals trapped, shot, killed and injured at and close to salmon farms. 

 

Please include any warning letters, prosecutions, Marine Scotland Compliance involvement, Police Scotland involvement, US MMPA reference, Cabinet Briefings, press discussions and any other information relating to seals killed/injured/impacted by salmon farms.

 

Please include any reference to The Ferret, Mowi, The Sunday Times and any other media discussion of seals and salmon farms. 

 

Please consider this a formal FOI request under the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations.

 

Please provide a receipt for this FOI request.

 

Please provide the information electronically.

 

Thanks,

 

Don Staniford

 

Director, $camon $cotland