2021 Review: The Year Scottish Salmon Died (& Tavish Lied)!

 

 

"1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure," said Her Majesty the Queen looking back on a year which saw a fire destroy part of Windsor Castle and the divorces of three of her children.  "In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an 'Annus Horribilis'."

 

Annus horribilis

 

 

 

When Tavish Scott, the viking chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (which was renamed Salmon Scotland in November), looks back on the inferno of negative news stories reported in 2021 he may echo a similar sentiment.  

 

Tavish Viking

 

 

2021 was only a month in when undercover video footage published by Animal Equality – via an exclusive with The Times – lifted the lid on welfare abuse inside The Scottish Salmon Company.

 

 

 

 

Animal Equality reported (13 February 2021):

 

Animal Equality Feb 2021 #1

Animal Equality Feb 2021 #2

 

Animal Equality Feb 2021 #5

 

 

The Times reported (13 February 2021):

Times SSC video Animal Equality 13 Feb 2021 #1

 

 

 

In March, video evidence published by Compassion in World Farming (sourced from secret filming inside salmon farms across Scotland) lifted the lid yet further on the welfare nightmare of salmon farming in Scotland.

 

 

 

CIWF Scottish Salmon Investigation March 2021 Graphics #4

 

 

 

 

Download photos published by Compassion in World Farming online here

 

CIWF photos #A

 

CIWF photos #B

 

 

A report – "Underwater Cages, Parasites & Dead Fish" – published in March by Compassion in World Farming and OneKind was enough to give anyone thinking about buying Scottish salmon nightmares. 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch also published gruesome photographic evidence of seals killed at salmon farms in Scotland – sourced from photos disclosed via Freedom of Information:

 

 

Photo #4 Dead seals in body bags Scottish Salmon Company Miavaig  Vuia Mor  January 2020

 

 

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

 

 

Photo #1 Taranaish seal in bin January 2020

 

 

 

The Ferret and Sunday National published a devastating expose on how millions of farmed salmon are dumped, burned and destroyed.

 

Ferret 21 March 2021 #1

 

 

 

 

March was still not over when Netflix delivered Scottish salmon a global PR problem with the broadcast of 'Seaspiracy' which featured damning video footage shot inside The Scottish Salmon Company and diseased Scottish salmon at Mowi's RSPCA Assured and ASC-certified salmon farm at Gorsten in Loch Linnhe.

 

Seaspiracy Netflix salmon poster

 

 

 

 

The Courier reported (24 March 2021) on "The shocking revelations of Netflix’s new documentary on marine pollution" citing shocking video footage from Corin Smith of disease-ridden salmon at The Scottish Salmon Company in Loch Roag on the Isle of Lewis:

 

Seaspiracy Courier 24 March 2021 #1

Seaspiracy Courier 24 March 2021 #2

 

 

The Sunday Times reported (28 March 2021):

 

Sunday Times on Seaspiracy 28 March 2021 #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sun reported (30 March 2021):

 

Seaspiracy Sun 30 March 2021

Seaspiracy Sun 30 March 2021 #2

Seaspiracy Sun 30 March 2021 #3

Seaspiracy Sun 30 March 2021 #4

Seaspiracy Sun 30 March 2021 #5

 

 

 

The Guardian reported (2 April 2021):

 

April 2021 blog #1

 

Read the scientific paper in full online here

 

April 2021 blog #3

 

 

In the wake of Netflix's 'Seaspiracy', salmon farmers in Scotland were in full fire-fighting mode with Tavish Scott (chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation) caught with his pants on fire on BBC Scotland's 'The Nine' (7 April 2021)

 

 

 

BBC Scotland The Nine 6 April 2021 #6 Tavish & Martin on diseases

 

 

 

 

 

 

April also saw the publication of Alexandra Morton's devastating 'Not On My Watch'.

 

Penguin March 2021 #1

Penguin March 2021 #2

 

 

 

 

 

'Not On My Watch' was hand-delivered to Scotland's largest salmon farmer Mowi in June:

 

Frederik Mowinckel at Mowi AGM June 2021 Facebook post

 

 

 

In April, Scottish Salmon Watch won a famous victory against celebrity chef Rick Stein for deceptive marketing of salmon.

 

 

 

 

Mail Online/Daily Mail reported (15 April 2021):

 

Daily Mail 15 April 2021 #1

Daily Mail 15 April 2021 #2

Daily Mail 15 April 2021 #3

Daily Mail 15 April 2021 #4

Daily Mail 15 April 2021 #5

Daily Mail 15 April 2021 #6

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch also exposed how welfare abuse on salmon farms was being whitewashed away by the UK Government, SSPCA and RSPCA with a letter sent to the Secretary of State (20 April 2021).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another book – "Toxic" by Richard Flanagan – made waves globally. 

 

Toxic book Richard Flanagan

 

 

 

 

ABC News reported (22 April 2021):

 

 

 

 

Award-winning food writer Joanna Blythman certainly won't be eating any farmed salmon – even 'organic'.  

 

 

 

 

The Herald reported (24 April 2021):

 

Blythman Herald 24 April 2021

Blythman Herald 24 April 2021 #2

Blythman Herald 24 April 2021 #3

Blythman Herald 24 April 2021 #4

Blythman Herald 24 April 2021 #5

Blythman Herald 24 April 2021 #6

 

 

Italian TV featured Scottish salmon farming in an unflattering light in a broadcast in May:

 

Italian TV May 2021 #5 Grieg

 

Italian TV May 2021 #CIWF

 

Le Iene published a news story to accompany their salmon feature (11 May 2021):

 

Italian TV May 2021 News #1

Italian TV May 2021 News #3

Italian TV May 2021 News #4

 

 

The Italian newspaper Il Giornale reported (12 May 2021):

 

Il Giornale 12 May 2021 #1

Il Giornale 12 May 2021 #2

 

Another Italian newspaper – Liberoreported (12 May 2021):

 

Italian Libero 12 May 2021 #1

Italian Libero 12 May 2021 #2

Italian Libero 12 May 2021 #3

 

 

In May, Scottish Salmon Watch secretly filmed inside a salmon cage at Norwegian-owned 'Scottish' Sea Farms in Loch Spelve exposing welfare problems and infectious diseases.

 

 

 

 

 

The secret filming triggered an inspection by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate and a temporary suspension of welfare certification by RSPCA Assured.

 

 

 

 

The Herald On Sunday reported (16 May 2021):

Herald on Sunday 16 May 2021 #1

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch's welfare complaint against Scottish Sea Farms led to an inspection later in May by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate which reported welfare problems, mortalities and Infectious Salmon Anaemia:

 

FHI May 2021 Spelve #24

 

 

PR ISA in Loch Spelve 30 August 2021 Tweet #1

PR ISA in Loch Spelve 30 August 2021 Tweet #2 photos

PR ISA in Loch Spelve 30 August 2021 Tweet #3

 

 

 

 

 

Intrafish reported (31 August 2021):

 

Intrafish 31 Aug ISA story in Norwegian #2

Intrafish 31 Aug ISA story in Norwegian #3

Intrafish 31 Aug ISA story in Norwegian # king

Intrafish 31 Aug ISA story in Norwegian #4

 

 

 

In May, The Ferret reported that the Scottish Government backed the use of the banned neonicotinoid Imidacloprid in salmon farming in Scotland.

 

 

 

 

The Guardian followed the story up later in May with a devastating report on the toxic chemical dubbed 'Novichok for insects':

 

Guardian Novichok 27 May 2021 #1

 

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported later in June:

EP vote 9 June 2021 #13

EP vote 9 June 2021 #14

EP vote 9 June 2021 #15

 

 

The Ferret subsequently reported in July:

 

 

 

 

A damning report published by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch in May blamed Mowi for the fatal accident of Clive Hendry at Mowi's Ardintoul salmon farm.

 

 

 

 

The Times reported later in November that Clive Hendry's widow was suing Mowi for negligence:

 

Times Woman suing Mowi 23 Nov 2021 #1

 

 

 

 

The Times reported in May on the stink caused by the illegal dumping of diseased salmon at Whiteshore Cockles in North Uist.

 

Times Whiteshore stink 27 May 2021 #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Daily Mail followed up the news report:

 

Daily Mail 27 May 2021 newspaper

 

 

The Independent reported (27 May 2021):

 

Independent 27 May 2021 #1

 

 

The Oban Times reported in June:

Oban Times 14 June 2021 #1

Oban Times 14 June 2021 #2

Oban Times 14 June 2021 #3

 

 

 

The Sunday National and The Ferret reported at the end of June:

 

 

 

 

In July, The Times published another article on the illegal dumping of diseased salmon at Whiteshore Cockles in North Uist:

 

Times 1 July 2021 #1

 

 

 

The front page of The Press & Journal (2 July 2021) reported:

 

P&J 2 July 2021 newspaper edition #1

 

 

 

 

 

The Sunday Mail reported (4 July 2021):

 

Sunday Mail 4 July 2021 #1

Sunday Mail 4 July 2021 #2

Sunday Mail 4 July 2021 #3

Sunday Mail 4 July 2021 #4

Sunday Mail 4 July 2021 #5

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in July that a Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure by the Scottish Government published online in April 2021 revealed that 'Scottish' salmon is now sourced predominantly from imported ova (eggs) from Iceland and Ireland substituting Norway (due to ongoing risks of the spread of Infectious Salmon Anaemia).

 

 

 

 

The Mail on Sunday reported (11 July 2021):

MoS 11 July 2021 in full #1

MoS 11 July 2021 in full #2

MoS 11 July 2021 in full #3

MoS 11 July 2021 in full #4

 

 

 

 

In October it was reported that 'Organic' Sea Harvest had been refused planning permission:

 

 

 

 

BBC Alba reported (7 October 2021):

 

 

 

 

The Sunday Times reported (17 October 2021):

 

Sunday Times 17 Oct 2021 #1

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch revealed in July that mortalities on salmon farms during 2020 exceeded a staggering 27,000 tonnes (an estimated 20 million dead salmon).   That's more than double the 10,000 tonnes of morts reported in 2013; almost four times more than the 7,000 tonnes reported in 2010 and the worst on record (2019 and 2017 were both just over 25,000 tonnes)!

 

 

 

July 2021 blog #3 2013 to 2020

 

 

 

 

Secret filming by Scottish Salmon Watch inside Mowi's salmon farms around the Isle of Shuna on 16 & 17 July 2021 revealed welfare abuse, lice infestation and mortalities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mail On Sunday reported (25 July 2021):

 

Mail on Sunday 25 July 2021 #1

 

 

 

 

The Times reported (26 July 2021):

 

Times 26 July 2021 #1

 

 

 

 

Seaspiracy reported in August via Instagram and Facebook:

 

 

 

 

 

In August, Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots revealed the shocking death rates on salmon farms across Scotland:

 

 

ISSF mort data 2018 to 2020 Aug 2021 #4 2018

 

 

The Herald reported (8 August 2021):

 

Morts herald

 

 

 

Private Eye reported in August 2021:

 

 

 

 

The Mail On Sunday reported (25 August 2021):

 

Mail on Sunday ADD illegal 22 August 2021 newspaper in full

 

 

 

The Sunday Times reported (29 August 2021):

 

Sunday Times 29 Aug 2021 Winslet film newspaper version #1

Sunday Times 29 Aug 2021 Winslet film newspaper version #2

 

 

 

 

'Eating Our Way to Extinction' premiered in cinemas September and is available to watch online via Amazon, iTunes, You Tube and AppleTV:

 

Eating Extinction You Tube #30 Mr Staniford sordid side

 

 

 

RT reported (20 September 2021):

 

 

 

The Morning Star reported (16 September 2021):

 

Eating Extinction review #1

 

 

The Times reported (17 September 2021):

 

 

 

 

The Times reported (6 September 2021):

 

Times tougher curbs 6 Sept 2021 #1

Times tougher curbs 6 Sept 2021 #2

 

 

 

 

Secret filming by Scottish Salmon Watch exposed welfare abuse and mass mortalities inside the Shuna Castle fish farm operated by Kames Fish Farming in the Sound of Jura on 2 September 2021:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secret filming by Scottish Salmon Watch inside The Scottish Salmon Company's West Strome salmon farm on 6 September 2021 exposed shocking welfare abuse:

 

Image 01

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Further video footage shot in September 2021 revealed mass mortalities at The Scottish Salmon Company in Loch Carron:

 

 

Photo 8 Sept 2021 morts being lifted up #1

 

 

 

 

 

In November, France 5 broadcast video footage shot inside The Scottish Salmon Company's West Strome salmon farm in September and video footage shot inside Mowi's salmon farms in July:

 

 

 

Sur Le Front Scottish section #26

Sur Le Front Scottish section #34

Sur Le Front Scottish section #19

Sur Le Front Scottish section #36

Sur Le Front Scottish section #22

Sur Le Front Scottish section #20

Sur Le Front Scottish section #23

Sur Le Front Scottish section #35

Sur Le Front Scottish section #17

Sur Le Front Scottish section #38

 

 

 

 

In October a new book exposing the underbelly of salmon farming in Norway was published:

 

 

 

 

 

 

STV News reported (11 October 2021):

 

STV News 11 Oct 2021 #1

STV News 11 Oct 2021 #2

STV News 11 Oct 2021 #3

STV News 11 Oct 2021 #4

STV News 11 Oct 2021 #5

STV News 11 Oct 2021 #6

 

 

 

The Veterinary Record reported (9/16 October 2021):

 

Vet Record letter 9 Oct 2021 #1

Vet Record letter 9 Oct 2021 #2

 

 

 

 

The Herald reported (16 October 2021):

 

Herald 16 Oct 2021 #1

Herald 16 Oct 2021 #2

Herald 16 Oct 2021 #3

Herald 16 Oct 2021 #4

 

 

Salmon & Trout Conservation reported (22 October 2021):

 

S&TC Escapes #1

S&TC Escapes #2

S&TC Escapes #3

 

 

 

 

Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots posted on Facebook (15 October 2021):

 

 

 

 

STV News reported (20 October 2021):

 

Gigha STV News 20 Oct 2021 #1

Gigha STV News 20 Oct 2021 #2

Gigha STV News 20 Oct 2021 #3

 

 

 

 

The Telegraph reported (2 November 2021):

 

Telegraph 2 Nov 2021 #1

Telegraph 2 Nov 2021 #2

 

 

 

 

The Scotsman reported (4 November 2021):

 

 

Ocean Rebellion Nov 2021 blog #2 photo on Bute House

 

 

 

 

The Sun reported (3 November 2021):

 

Ocean Rebellion Nov 2021 blog #5 Sun

Ocean Rebellion Nov 2021 blog #6 Sun

Ocean Rebellion Nov 2021 blog #7 Sun

 

 

 

In November, The Scottish Salmon Company lost an appeal over the rejection of a salmon farm off the Isle of Arran.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Herald reported (14 November 2021):

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch published a compilation of video reports shot inside salmon and trout farms in Scotland:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ferret reported (27 November 2021):

 

Ferret on corporate snooping 27 Nov 2021 #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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