Green Around the Gills : 29 January 2023

Bakkafrost "may be liable for a criminal prosecution & we are aware that the police are investigating". "Our main worry is that this becomes a regular dumping ground for similar activities unless prosecutions are made by the environment agency or police" https://t.co/YEGa4WmYDd
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 29, 2023

Scotland On Sunday reported (29 January 2023):

Today's Scotland On Sunday: "Locals fuming over rotten-egg stink and sealife destroyed as ‘toxic’ wreck remains beached in Scottish Highlands beauty spot" https://t.co/34nr6PE8wB @Ilonaamos @TheScotsman @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond @marinescotland @ScottishEPA @Ianblackford_MP pic.twitter.com/K0Zfb9Vtwj
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 29, 2023

Whilst the Scotland On Sunday article is behind a paywall (you can bypass online here), MSN has the article in full online here

"Several important issues need to be considered – the environmental impact, social & human health impact & the seeming ability of these large companies to do as they wish without the authorities doing much to curb their activities" (Professor John Storey) https://t.co/34nr6PE8wB
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 29, 2023

Here's the newspaper version of today's Scotland On Sunday: "Locals fuming over rotten-egg stink and sealife destroyed as ‘toxic’ wreck remains beached in Scottish Highlands beauty spot" https://t.co/yR358ETEj5 @_KateForbes @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon @tavishscott pic.twitter.com/NAm1xoHT4V
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 29, 2023

UPDATE:

Taking the Piss: photo of the leaking feed barge @GaelForceGroup beached in Loch Reraig (just outside Loch Carron MPA) - the highlighted green circles show lumps of rotting fish food seeping out & the local wildlife have been eating it! @ScottishEPA pic.twitter.com/rhkc9bdlwT
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 30, 2023

The Independent reported (1 February 2023):

‘Toxic’ barge that sank more than a year ago is still beached in a scenic bay @Independent https://t.co/wzM1OdqzdP @GaelForceGroup @ScotlandSalmon @HighlandCouncil @Ianblackford_MP
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 1, 2023

Photo Exclusive: Visit Scotland unveils their new 'Life's A Beach' campaign promoting tourism on the West coast of Scotland. This photo - titled 'Toxic Salmon Farming' shows a beached @GaelForceGroup barge which is now a tourist attraction in Loch Reraighttps://t.co/wzM1OdqzdP pic.twitter.com/InKTxgDoWA
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 2, 2023

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Feb 2, 2023 at 10:02 AM
Subject: Update on toxic feed barge dumped in Loch Reraig (just outside the Loch Carron MPA)
To: <scottish.ministers@gov.scot>, Briggs Marine <enquiries@briggsmarine.com>
Cc: Public Relations <public.relations@mcga.gov.uk>, <infoline@mcga.gov.uk>, Ian Blackford <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>, Pollard, Peter <peter.pollard@sepa.org.uk>, Alex Turner <Alex.Turner@nature.scot>

Could you please provide an update on the toxic feed barge dumped since just before Xmas in Loch Reraig (just outside the Loch Carron MPA)?

$camon $cotland received just received this email (in reply to whether the toxic feed barge had been moved from Loch Reraig) from a concerned local living within sight of the dumped hazard:

From:
Date: Thu, Feb 2, 2023 at 8:39 AM
Subject: Re: Independent article
To: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Cc:

Don

No it hasn’t been moved. Once again they have failed to meet their promised deadlines for moving it and continue to try and fob us and the authorities off with excuses.

I believe it is convenience, incompetence and lack of proper management in this company that is the problem.

The new date is now 22nd February because nobody looked at the tide tables.

They continue to spill contaminated fish food on the beach. They admit it is toxic but that the readings are insignificant despite the obnoxious smell. They also admit they should have had a barrage around it to collect any spillage.

When I asked if any of the responsible authorities had been to inspect it. The man driving a desk in Edinburgh and responsible for this disaster said, ‘he didn’t know.’ You couldn’t make it up!!

It is very difficult to assess the impact on the wildlife but there has definitely been a reduction in the bird life.

We are hoping for more National press coverage and some action from SEPA, but none of the authorities seem to be taking it seriously and seem to believe everything Bakkafrost and their PR machine tell them is true.

Another concerned local also sent this email and photo on Sunday (29 January 2023):

From:
Date: Sun, Jan 29, 2023 at 6:16 PM
Subject: close up of the toxic barge
To: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>

Evening Don,

Just thought you might like to see this close-up of the beach surrounding the barge that our neighbour took the other day…. the highlighted green circles show lumps of rotting fish food that has clearly come from the barge… and the local wildlife have been eating it!

Photo 29 Jan 2023 Loch Reraig barge leaking feed

You may have read the article in yesterday's Independent:

‘Toxic’ barge that sank more than a year ago is still beached in a scenic bay

The Independent article includes a photo of the dumped feed barge on Loch Reraig beach:

Tweet via: https://twitter.com/TheGAAIA/status/1621041424946061312

The Independent article is a copy of Sunday's article by Ilona Amos:

Scotland On Sunday: "Locals fuming over rotten-egg stink and sealife destroyed as ‘toxic’ wreck remains beached in Scottish Highlands beauty spot"

This follows media coverage since the toxic barge has been dumped in Loch Reraig via:

Daily Record: "'Toxic' salmon farm barge dumped at scenic Scots bay could be spewing chemicals at loch - Locals are now fuming that the wreck has been beached in the middle of Reraig Bay"

WHFP: "Answers Sought on Loch Carron Fish Farm Barges"

Press & Journal: "Toxic sunken fish farm relocated to Wester Ross sparking fury amongst local residents"

The Scotsman: "Wrecked barge holding ‘toxic’ and potentially ‘explosive' gases is beached for decontamination operation in scenic Scottish Highland bay"

How much more negative media coverage will it take for the relevant authorities to take action?

The Scotland On Sunday article (29 January 2023) included:

Lou-Lou Troup and her husband Chris also have a home in Reraig. They feel they have been kept in the dark by Bakkafrost, which has repeatedly failed to meet its own target dates for uplifting the wreckage.

“We seem to be being regularly fobbed off with deadlines that Bakkafrost cannot keep,” Ms Troup said.

“The barge is still smelling of rotten eggs – hydrogen sulphide. There have never been any warnings of any risks involved, only platitudes about it being ‘safe’.

“We consider that, given the circumstances, the company may be liable for a criminal prosecution and we are aware that the police are investigating this.

“Our main worry is that this becomes a regular dumping ground for similar activities and situations like this unless prosecutions are made by the environment agency or the police.”

Tweet via: https://twitter.com/TheGAAIA/status/1619622081087565824

Which begs the questions:

What action is the Scottish Government, Police Scotland, Nature Scotland, SEPA, Maritime & Coastguard Agency, the Crown Estate Scotland, Highland Council or any other agency taking to bring this toxic saga to an end?

When will the toxic feed barge be removed from Loch Reraig?

Will Bakkafrost be fined over their systematic failures since the feed barge sank in November 2021?

According to Marine Traffic, the Viking Saga (understood to be the ship used by Bakkafrost to siphon off and transport away the ca. 690 tons of contaminated feed and water - to an anaerobic digestion plant in Aberdeenshire) is now in Fraserburgh (it seems to have made at least three runs from Loch Reraig to offload the contaminated wastes in Fraserburgh).

It is understood that the salvage barge and crane hired by Bakkafrost (Matador 3/Bonn-Mees) left in late December 2022 for another job in Ireland - and that Bakkafrost was incurring £81,000 per day in crane/barge hire: Bakkafrost Haemorrhages $almoney - salvage of 'toxic' & 'explosive' feed barge costs "a cool million odd" with £81K per day in crane hire fees!

Plockton fisherman Duncan McAndrew questioned Bakkafrost's version of events in terms of dumping the feed barge in Loch Reraig:

Detailed via: Bakkafrost's Toxic Feed Barge Still Dumped in Loch Reraig!

As $camon $cotland pointed out in our letter to Scottish Ministers dated 18 November 2022:

The fact that it still stinks of rotten eggs - and Bakkafrost's toxic feed barge is still causing a public nuisance and raising community concerns - illustrates just how much of a clusterf*ck the Scottish Government and other agencies are presiding over.

Please come together to end this Viking Saga (Bakkafrost's largest shareholder is the Norwegian Government as represented by Folketrygdfondet).

Best fishes,

Don Staniford

Director, $camon $cotland

Bakkafrost "continue to spill contaminated fish food on the beach...They admit it is toxic but that the readings are insignificant despite the obnoxious smell. They also admit they should have had a barrage around it to collect any spillage" pic.twitter.com/e1fPaKpHsl
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 2, 2023

Bakkafrost "have failed to meet their promised deadlines & continue to try & fob us & the authorities off with excuses. I believe it is incompetence & lack of proper management that is the problem. The new date is now 22nd Feb because nobody looked at the tide tables" @scotgov pic.twitter.com/FwlEqsXXFf
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 2, 2023

Here's photos taken in Loch Reraig by an angry tourist on 3 February 2023:

Sneak Preview of Visit Scotland's 2023 brochure for the Wester Ross Coastal Trail - featuring Bakkafrost's toxic barge dumped in Loch Reraig (sponsored by Norway's Ministry of Tourism @Folketrygdfond). A welcome addition to Anthrax Island off Gruinard! #Toxic #Tourism @theSNP pic.twitter.com/9fV2jUllp0
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 6, 2023

What a lovely view to have through your living room!

Bakkafrost and Briggs Marine are still fighting in court over the salvage operation!

Read the legal documents online here

Undercurrent News reported (15 February 2023):

UPDATE (21/22 February 2023):

A feed barge (which sank off Portree in Nov 2021) being towed from Loch Reraig (where it was dumped before Xmas) into Loch Carron. "The barge is being transported to Strome for holding & inspection with the @MCA_media before tow to another Bakkafrost location" said Bakkafrost pic.twitter.com/GQm3QxGKmc
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 21, 2023

Photos taken this morning at Bakkafrost's Strome salmon farm in Loch Carron - where the Green Isle, Aqua Reflex & Viking Saga are busy salvaging the @GaelForceGroup feed barge which sank off Portree during Storm Arwen in November 2021 @MCA_media @marinescotland @CrownEstateScot pic.twitter.com/AHY2q9yB4d
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 22, 2023

Green Around the Gills

Disease-ridden salmon farming is a sickness spreading all over the globe!

29 January 2023

01/29/2023

Scotland On Sunday: "Locals fuming over rotten-egg stink and sealife destroyed as ‘toxic’ wreck remains beached in Scottish Highlands beauty spot"

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