Press Release from FishyLeaks: "Leaked Videos Expose Welfare Nightmare of RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon"

FishyLeaks reported via a press release (3 February 2023):

X-rated Video: shocking evidence of welfare abuse inside @rspcaassured Scottish Sea Farms (Norskott Havbruk) – exclusive supplier to @marksandspencer – in the Sound of Mull at Scallastle Bay @scotseafarms https://t.co/Va8HmqWrQU @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/zfN71NbPWk

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 3, 2023

Leaked video footage shot inside @rspcaassured Grieg Seafood on the Isle of Skye – no wonder they offloaded their Skye salmon farms @scotseafarms and then to @LochDuartSalmon https://t.co/bz4n4l92jt @Dunvegan_Castle @Ianblackford_MP @IainNaHoe @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/L4uxuQ2sRI

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 6, 2023

Download press release and media backgrounder in full online here

FishyLeaks: Videos Expose Welfare Nightmare of RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon! @rspcaassured https://t.co/jtlCiEaK2s @ciwf @media_ciwf @CIWF_EU @philip_ciwf pic.twitter.com/vmwlFr50Dp

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 3, 2023

The press release and media backgrounder from FishyLeaks includes from Compassion in World Farming:

"We are requesting the completion of an MOU – this is as we are naming the producers, so to try to protect ourselves from legal challenges have needed to be particularly careful for the wording of the investigation and corresponding materials."

CIWF Scottish Salmon Investigation March 2021 Graphics #1

Compassion in World Farming: "We are requesting the completion of an MOU – this is as we are naming the producers, so to try to protect ourselves from legal challenges have needed to be particularly careful for the wording of the investigation" @ScotlandSalmon @philip_ciwf pic.twitter.com/vPw2MTqLJY

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 3, 2023

"Any conversations that Compassion has had with the industry remain confidential, and I’m sure you appreciate why. I’d rather not talk about the specifics on our team’s efforts to secure a media story in the UK and push back from industry, as the situation is still unfolding and we don’t want the details in the public realm because doing so could undermine our work.”

CIWF Scottish Salmon Investigation March 2021 Graphics #3

“At Compassion…we build relationships with retailers and producers through our food business work to improve the lives of many animals, and so directly targeting these groups can impact our other strands of work. Although we do not purposefully mention the RSPCA, they certify farms covered by these producers, and as a result it’ll indirectly put pressure on them to improve/better enforce their standards for fish.”

The Faces of Scottish Salmon Feb 2020 #12 Mowi RSPCA

"At Compassion, we often don’t mention the names of farms/producers in our investigation. Although we do not purposefully mention the RSPCA, they certify farms covered by these producers, and as a result it’ll indirectly put pressure on them" @ciwf @rspcaassured @RSPCA_official pic.twitter.com/Ddv7MxIMOJ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 3, 2023

CIWF’s ‘Rethink Fish MOU for Groups’ (which Scottish Salmon Watch refused to sign) included:

“Agree to keep the focus, target and messaging on the Scottish government, not on the salmon producers, farmers or the RSPCA. For example, please only tag the Scottish government in social media posts and target the Scottish government in any email action when calling for them to halt the expansion of the industry. Please do not attack/criticise retailers in your country, or campaign against the producers where footage was gathered in the investigation (Mowi, etc) by targeting them on social/supporter emails/etc. This is to ensure that Compassion can build on the impact of our global campaign by establishing relationships with these producers and working with them to improve welfare standards.”

Compassion Compromised: "Agree to keep the target on @scotgov not on the salmon producers, farmers or RSPCA. Do not attack/criticise retailers or campaign against the producers where footage was gathered in the investigation (Mowi, etc)" @media_ciwf @ScotlandSalmon @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/0UR8RXuW7U

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 3, 2023

“We are not making the individual farm details public because our role is to change the inherent, endemic, cruelty in salmon factory farming, not target individual farmers,” explained another CIWF document – ‘Scottish Salmon Investigation FAQ’ – marked ‘strictly confidential’

“The public should know that BINGOs (Big Industrial NGOs) like @ciwf are more interested in building close business relationships with salmon farming multinationals – & leaping into bed with the enemy – rather than removing this ethically bankrupt industry cage by cage” #Mowi pic.twitter.com/OFa0DFv5Pg

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 3, 2023

The press release and media backgrounder from FishyLeaks also includes:

“CIWF have now been completely cornered into doing a job for MOWI comms teams while at the same time providing a veneer of ostensible independent credibility,” wrote Corin Smith of Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots in an email to CIWF in August 2022. “CWIF have been outthought, outmanoeuvred and are now out of credibility on salmon farming, certainly in Scotland and it would appear internationally too. Just another captured greenwashing NGO à la RSPCA Assured. I hope the cash was worth it.”

"CIWF have now been completely cornered into doing a job for @MowiScotlandLtd while at the same time providing a veneer of ostensible independent credibility. Just another captured greenwashing NGO à la @rspcaassured. I hope the cash was worth it" (Corin Smith of ISSF) @ciwf pic.twitter.com/pueXkOPmtr

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 3, 2023

“The public should know that BINGOs (Big Industrial NGOs) like CIWF are more interested in building close business relationships with salmon farming multinationals – and leaping into bed with the enemy – rather than removing this ethically bankrupt industry cage by cage” said Don Staniford, Director of $camon $cotland. "Shame on CIWF for cravenly kowtowing to the $almafia’s lawyers and burying damning video evidence which exposes the welfare nightmare of RSPCA Assured Scottish salmon. CIWF is turning a blind eye to endemic welfare abuse on RSPCA Assured salmon farms across Scotland."

“Shame on @ciwf for cravenly kowtowing to the $almafia’s lawyers & burying damning video evidence which exposes the welfare nightmare of @rspcaassured Scottish salmon. The only way to end cruelty & torture inside salmon farms is to close down every cage in Scotland” @philip_ciwf pic.twitter.com/NoPbRRwsAa

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 3, 2023

Watch the videos via FishyLeaks:

A photo gallery is published online here

Does @philip_ciwf have a comment in reply to the claim that CIWF have been co-opted, corrupted & compromised by the $almafia? @media_ciwf @CIWF_EU @CIWF_Global @ciwf @rspcaassured https://t.co/dhZbmKssv9 pic.twitter.com/SHgE3lMGYG

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 3, 2023

In October 2022, $camon $cotland wrote to RSPCA Assured:

Please end torture & cruelty on salmon farms in Scotland! @ScotlandSalmon @MowiScotlandLtd
Stop certifying Scottish salmon as "responsibly sourced" @rspcaassured & "farmed responsibly" @ASC_aqua https://t.co/GdiaY00bHJ #RSPCA #ASC #Scottish #Scamon @philip_ciwf @Animallawyersuk pic.twitter.com/S6O6cYkQQc

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 14, 2022