Welfare & Biosecurity Complaints Filed Vs RSPCA Assured & ASC-certified Bakkafrost in Loch Carron!

Complaint: video evidence gathered in December 2023 shows disease-ridden salmon being uplifted via a ‘mort sock’ still alive whilst Bakkafrost workers watch the unnecessary suffering & fail to intervene to ensure the welfare of @rspcaassured & @ASC_aqua animals under their care pic.twitter.com/xymwcWjnmD

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 17, 2023

On 12 December 2023, Abolish Salmon Farming and $camon $cotland filed complaints against Bakkafrost with Police Scotland's Wildlife Crime Unit, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Highland Council, Marine Scotland, Scottish Ministers, the RSPCA, RSPCA Assured, the SSPCA and Folketrygdfondet (largest shareholder in Bakkafrost). Similar complaints were filed with Salmon Scotland, Waitrose, the Co-op and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council on 17 December 2023. The complaints – citing video evidence of biosecurity and welfare failures at Bakkafrost's RSPCA Assured and ASC-certified salmon farm at West Strome in Loch Carron – included:

Download the 26-page complaint in full online here

“They’re in a terrible state,” commented Jamie Moyes of Abolish Salmon Farming in a video report following filming the ‘zombie’ salmon. “I’ve been out since dark this morning with a torch under the water and you’ll see the footage – it’s absolutely horrific. I used to be a salmon farmer, I’m ashamed to say. It’s extremely cruel, it’s extremely unnecessary. These individuals are getting eaten alive out there. They’re suffering terribly. There was one individual in particular who was just shaking their head like a terrier with a toy – it was very distressing they were in extreme suffering, in extreme pain. We’ve got to do better than this – it’s 2023 guys. We’ve got to stop this nonsense. It’s horrific”.

Big shout out to my hero – former salmon farmer and vegan activist Jamie Moyes of Abolish Salmon Farming – who has exposed welfare abuse by Faroese/Norwegian giant Bakkafrost Scotland in Loch Carron (at @ASC_aqua & @rspcaassured certified West Strome salmon farm) @TheScotsman pic.twitter.com/Tba7BWTbsD

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 17, 2023

Watch more video footage from Bakkafrost's RSPCA Assured and ASC-certified salmon farm in Loch Carron:

New footage taken by Abolish Salmon Farming from a Bakkafrost feedlot at Strome, Lochcarron.

Clearly @TheGAAIA is not the only person concerned enough to take footage of this appalling blight on Scotland’s environment. @ScottishEPA @GMartinMSP @MairiMcAllan @CVOScotland @D1HAJ pic.twitter.com/Vpy1G24qcE

— Salmon Scotland (@SalmonScotland) December 20, 2023

The welfare and biosecurity complaints are being followed up by the relevant agencies – including the SSPCA, RSPCA Assured, APHA and Marine Scotland:

From: <Helpline.Enquiries@scottishspca.org>
Date: Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 2:44 PM
Subject: RE: Complaint vs Bakkafrost: breaches of welfare laws & RSPCA standards
To: <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>

Dear Don,

Thank you for contacting the Scottish SPCA to raise this complaint about Bakkafrost’s operations at West Strome Salmon Farm in Lochcarron.

I can confirm I have raised this complaint with a local inspector.

Should you have any further information or evidence you wish to pass on, please contact our confidential Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999 as soon as possible. Our lines are open between 07:30 – 20:00 every day.

Kind Regards,

Becky

Scottish SPCA Complaints

From: <MS.FishHealth@gov.scot>
Date: Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 11:49 AM
Subject: RE: Complaint vs Bakkafrost (breaches of welfare & biosecurity laws)
To: <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Cc: <directormarine@gov.scot>, <Charles.Allan@gov.scot>, <Neil.Purvis@gov.scot>

Dear Mr Staniford

Please regard this as confirmation of receipt of your complaint regarding breaches of biosecurity and welfare at the West Strome Site (FS1342) operated by Bakkafrost Scotland.

Thank you for the information you have provided. The FHI will investigate the biosecurity aspect of your complaint and I have forward the complaint to APHA with regards to welfare.

Best regards

Duty Inspector

Duty Inspector, Fish Health Inspectorate, Marine Directorate

Scottish Government, Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen, Ab11 9DB

T: 0131 244 2500

E: ms.fishhealth@gov.scot

From: Hello RSPCA-Assured Hello@rspcaassured.org.uk
Date: Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 10:06 AM
Subject: Re: Complaint vs Bakkafrost: breaches of welfare laws & RSPCA standards
To: Don Staniford salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com

Thank you for your email and for sharing these concerns with us.

I will pass this information on to the relevant department now for investigation.

Yours sincerely,

Xenia

From: SM-APHA-ScotlandDutyVet <ScotlandDutyVet@apha.gov.uk>
Date: Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 9:55 AM
Subject: FW: NORTH – FW: Complaint vs Bakkafrost (breaches of welfare laws)
To: salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>

Good morning Mr. Don Staniford,

Thank you for your email and information regarding fish welfare. The case vet is going to dealing with reported issue.

Kind regards

Renata

DVN

Like a serial killer watching his victims die in pain – shocking video footage of Bakkafrost's @rspcaassured & @ASC_aqua salmon farm in Loch Carron. Please boycott the welfare nightmare of Scottish salmon this Xmas! @RSPCA_official @ScottishSPCA @ScotlandSalmon @APHAgovuk pic.twitter.com/yg4vOhtJ0E

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 17, 2023

Bakkafrost's boats of death were seen working through the night of 28 December 2023:

Bakkafrost worked through the night clearing 'zombie' salmon at their @ASC_aqua & @rspcaassured salmon farm in Loch Carron @ScotlandSalmon
Watch horrific footage thanks to Abolish Salmon Farming https://t.co/dpjWYUDDrJ @Folketrygdfond @HighlandCouncil @APHAgovuk @ScottishSPCA pic.twitter.com/KlwXYTPU0a

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 29, 2023

$camon $cotland reported in April 2023:

Video footage showing biosecurity breaches at The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost Scotland) in Loch Carron.

"Large biomass mortality removal procedures allowed a breach of mortality containment" reported @scotgov

(Incriminating footage by Jamie Moyes) pic.twitter.com/w5n2eXViy2

— Salmon Scotland (@SalmonScotland) January 30, 2023

In November 2021, French TV broadcast gruesome video footage shot inside Bakkafrost's West Strome salmon farm in September 2021: