The Aqua Reflex crane barge arrives in Portree – do Bakkafrost have a marine licence to salvage the feed barge a year after it sank? https://t.co/peclMN6Bc5 @MCA_media @marinescotland @ScottishEPA @NLB_UK @nature_scot @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon @_KateForbes @GaelForceGroup pic.twitter.com/nYPGzm8RoM
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022
It seems that the salvage of Bakkafrost's sunken feed barge off Portree on the Isle of Skye has begun with the arrival of a salvage team on 1 December 2022 (over a year after the sinking on 26 November 2021). As of this morning (2 December 2022), Marine Traffic is showing the Wavedancer (a dive boat) moored in Portree Harbour and the Aqua Reflex (tug) and Matador (a floating crane registered in the Netherlands) at the salmon farm (the Netherlands-based company Marine Masters is in charge of the salvage operation).
Dive boat (the Wavedancer) arrives in Portree for salvage of the sunken feed barge https://t.co/Xa1yO4y4UN @GaelForceGroup @MCA_media @NLB_UK @HighlandCouncil @ScottishEPA @WHFP1 @pressjournal @BBCHighlands @BBCIainMac @IslaTodd @_Adam_Gordon @KeithMacKenzie1 @iainramage6 pic.twitter.com/rqWLTVtxLe
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022
The Matador (a floating crane from the Netherlands) is now at Portree salmon farm to take on the toxic feed barge – does Bakkafrost have a salvage licence to lift up the @GaelForceGroup sunken vessel? @MCA_media @marinescotland @HighlandCouncil @WHFP1 https://t.co/63ZgZyTJSr pic.twitter.com/oddxEbrma1
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022
Here's photos taken earlier today (2 December 2022) from the coastal path overlooking the Portree salmon farm:
Photos taken today off Portree by a local: "I was shaken by how close the farm is to the coastline – whatever has come out of that sunken feedbarge will almost certainly have washed round into Portree Bay with the tides. There was no signage anywhere along the path from Portree" pic.twitter.com/F80IhTwPnr
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022
The West Highland Free Press posted more photos on Facebook (2 December 2022):
John Finlayson @HighlandCouncil: "At the time of the incident & following it there were regular updates provided to members & to community groups & there was clear articulation of the mitigation actions & also updates" @whfp https://t.co/SNiBfY66Qv
Where & when? @cllrjfinlayson pic.twitter.com/6xTbcmpEiX— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 3, 2022
The timing of the salvage operation is interesting – given that it is taking place just over 12 months after the feed barge sinking on 26 November 2021 during Storm Arwen (FOI documents disclosed by the Scottish Government reveal that salvage operations taking place more than a year after a sinking require a licence).
Does Bakkafrost have a valid licence & EIA for the salvage of the @GaelForceGroup feed barge off Portree? @scotgov @marinescotland @MairiGougeon @HMCoastguard @ScottishEPA @MCA_media @HighlandCouncil @ScotlandSalmon @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @cllrjfinlayson @NLB_UK pic.twitter.com/rkjUPT3Paj
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022
And just this week (30 November 2022), further documents obtained via Freedom of Information (FOI) from the Northern Lighthouse Board shed more light on the botched salvage of the "explosive" and "toxic" feed barge which can only be described as a clusterfuck meets cover up.
Oops – when you redact so many documents the black pen runs out of ink! Shout out to Craig, Head of Engineering at Scottish Salmon (Bakkafrost)
More FOI documents coming soon! @HighlandCouncil @MCA_media @marinescotland @NLB_UK @CrownEstateScot @ScottishEPA @Nature_Scotland pic.twitter.com/2L1nYJNIv0— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 30, 2022
"We are seeing some feed oils coming from the second silo now – image below close up to the droplets and much clearer image" @briggsmarine
How much feed leaked from the @GaelForceGroup barge off Portree? @ScottishEPA @cllrjfinlayson @drewhendrySNP @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond pic.twitter.com/hyOIgK8RjI— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 30, 2022
Here's the FOI reply from the Northern Lighthouse Board (30 November 2022):
From: Trish Donaldson <Trish.Donaldson@nlb.org.uk>
Date: Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 10:02 AM
Subject: NLB-FOI-0137 Portree toxic gases from Bakkafrost/Scottish Salmon Co. feed barge RESPONSE
To: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Good morning
Thank you for your recent request under the Freedom of Information please find our response letter attached.
The file size is to great for our email server to allow through so a link to a folder is being sent separately in the next few minutes, this will allow you to download the files.
Regards
Trish Donaldson
Explosive FOI Disclosure @NLB_UK shines a light on the sinking & salvage of the toxic @GaelForceGroup feed barge off Portree @briggsmarine
Nothing to see here! @Folketrygdfond @ScottishEPA @ScotlandSalmon @_KateForbes @WHFP1 @nature_scot @HighlandCouncil @MCA_media @fire_scot pic.twitter.com/w3tYE6x6FB— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022
Here's some highlights from the FOI disclosure by the Northern Lighthouse Board on 30 November 2022 (further FOI replies are expected from Highland Council, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Crown Estate Scotland, NHS Scotland, Fire Scotland, Police Scotland and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency) – the Northern Lighthouse Board were first notified of the 26 November 2021 sinking of the feed barge on 2 December 2021 in an email from the Secretary of State's Representative for Marine Salvage and Intervention:
Call Out to Video/Photographers in Portree! This is Google Earth on the @GaelForceGroup feed barge before it sank during Storm Arwen in November 2021 – it is being salvaged today. Please pass on photos/video – this is video overlooking the farm in 2020: https://t.co/2xiTM6zyRD pic.twitter.com/8z2BefNhPf
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022
Here's a map circulated by the Northern Lighthouse Board of the two Bakkafrost salmon farms (effectively one super-sized site serviced by a feed barge in between the two farms):
The Scottish Salmon Company (renamed Bakkafrost in June 2022) informed HM Coastguard/Maritime & Coastguard Agency of the sinking on 27 November 2021 (the day after the barge went down during Storm Arwen on 26 November 2021) – leading to a flurry of emails from 'Counter Pollution' agencies:
Leaking oils were reported:
Here's a photo of the leaking oils @GaelForceGroup feed barge which sank in November 2021 at Bakkafrost's salmon farm off Portree – how much of the 450 tonnes of feed is left to salvage? Is SEPA at the site monitoring for environmental pollution? @ScottishEPA @MairiMcAllan pic.twitter.com/xC18DgYnSX
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022
At the end of March 2022, Bakkafrost's 'Head of Engineering' updated various government agencies:
Bakkafrost's 'Head of Engineering' is understood to be called Craig T – here's his Linkedin profile:
In May 2022, Bakkafrost's 'Head of Engineering' (who is an "excellent communicator with all levels" – except the public who were still in the dark!) sent government agencies a presentation by Briggs Marine (the salvage company initially hired by Bakkafrost before they left in August 2022 over a 'payment dispute' and were replaced by Marine Masters in the Netherlands):
In July 2022, Bakkafrost's "excellent communicator" informed various government agencies (still the public were not informed) that the preparation work for the barge recovery by Briggs Marine would start "unseen" before the salvage vessel arrived in late August:
By early August 2022, Bakkafrost notified various government agencies of "a small leakage of gas" and referred to the '2020 Emergency Response Guidebook':
By late in the afternoon of Friday 12 August 2022, Bakkafrost's 'Head of Engineering' (now revealed as 'Craig' via a botched redaction) was engaged in full-on communication with a growing list of government agencies dropping the bombshell that high levels of Hydrogen Sulphide – 55,000 ppm to be exact putting it in the "explosive range" – had been detected within one of the sealed silos (except he still had not informed the public or tourists in Portree about the "explosive" gases and risks to public health):
Here's the moment in August when "excellent communicator" Craig T (head of engineering at Bakkafrost) dropped the bombshell that high levels of Hydrogen Sulphide at 55,000 ppm – within the "explosive range" – had been found off Portree. Yet the public were still not informed! pic.twitter.com/kIihslUOMU
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022
Bakkafrost's dynamite revelation of Hydrogen Sulphide levels of 55,000 ppm – within the "explosive range" – triggered a phone call from the Secretary of State's Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention later on Friday evening (12 August 2022) and this email suggesting Bakkafrost notify fire and rescue services "for their HAZMAT expertise" and flagging up the risks to cruise liners coming into Portree and walkers along the coastal path:
Salmon farming is an ecological time-bomb! pic.twitter.com/WlL6bsCESF
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 1, 2022
On Monday morning (15 August 2022), Highland Council's 'Harbours Manager' asked Bakkafrost to deploy a 24-hour guard vessel to patrol the salmon farm (yet walkers along the coastal path alongside the salmon farm off Portree were still not warned):
Here's video footage of the 24-hour guard vessel patrolling the Portree salmon farm in late August 2022 (when the public had still NOT been notified of the risks of explosion and toxic gases – read more online here):
On 18 August 2022, Bakkafrost's "excellent communicator" sent various government agencies – now including NHS Scotland, Police Scotland and Fire Scotland – four PDFs including a 'Emergency Escape Plans' from Briggs Marine (who were still the salvage company – until they demobilised on 26 August 2022 over a 'payment dispute'):
On 24 August 2022, Bakkafrost's 'Head of Engineering' updated various government agencies (yet the general public and shipping – including 'The World' cruise liner which visited Portree later that day with the Isle of Skye Pipe Band on board – were still not notified):
The Northern Lighthouse Board's FOI disclosure (30 November 2022) attaches various PDFs authored by Briggs Marine including:
NLB FOI 30 Nov 2022 Briggs Marine document #1
NLB FOI 30 Nov 2022 Briggs Marine document #2
Here's the 'Emergency Escapes Plan' from Briggs Marine dated 5 August 2022:
Read in full online here
Here's a Method Statement on oil, gas and feed removal from Briggs Marine dated 7 August 2022 (this document shows that Bakkafrost knew on 7 August 2022 – and probably earlier since the report would have taken time to be written – that "explosive" gases were a danger to the public yet they did not inform government agencies until 12 August):
The 16-page document includes:
Read in full online here
Explosive Revelation: Bakkafrost was informed on 7 August (or earlier) @briggsmarine that "explosive" Hydrogen Sulphide gases were a public health risk off Portree – yet they did not inform govt agencies until 12 August & even after that no public warning was given! @_KateForbes pic.twitter.com/4Ee2XCJCb8
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022
Another Briggs Marine document – 'Rescue Party Method Statement' – dated 9 August 2022 included:
Read 14-page document in full online here
Another Briggs Marine document – undated – includes an image of the 'casualty':
Briggs Marine refer to 'sensitive' and 'special' habitats in the vicinity of the toxic feed barge:
Download 11-page document in full online here
Nature Scotland told $camon $cotland earlier this week (30 November 2022):
From: Alex Turner <Alex.Turner@nature.scot>
Date: Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 4:37 PM
Subject: RE: SSSI/SAC near Portree/Torvaig?
To: salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Dear Mr Staniford,
The designations shown on the map are Inner Hebrides and the Minches SAC (designated for Harbour Porpoise) and Rigg – Bile SSSI & SAC (designated for geology, woodland and vegetated sea cliffs). More details are available via the Sitelink website – https://sitelink.nature.scot/home.
Regards
Alex
Alex Turner | Operations Officer – Skye & Lochalsh – Central Highland
NatureScot | King’s House, The Green, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9BS | t: 01463 701663 | m: 07789395997
NatureScot | Taigh an Rìgh, An Àilean, Port Rìgh, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach, IV51 9BS
nature.scot | @nature_scot | Scotland’s Nature Agency | Buidheann Nàdair na h-Alba
Another undated document by Briggs Marine detailed the planned salvage operation:
Read the 20-page document in full online here
Read more via:
P&J: "Stink raised over release of toxic chemicals from sunken fish farm barge off Skye"
Gael Force's Sinking Feeling: barges scuppered by bad weather or is the 'greed of feed' to blame?
Letter to Scottish Ministers re. "Explosive" Scottish Salmon – Please Defuse the Toxic Time-Bomb!
The Times: "Secret plans to evacuate island homes over toxic gas"
Bakkafrost's Scottish Salmon Nightmare Gets Worse with 10,000 Tonne Black Hole in Scotland!
Bakkafrost is Dead in the Water in Scotland – 2021 Annual Report Details "Deadly Cocktail"!
500m exclusion zone near Portree Harbour in Skye as barge gives of rotten eggs smell
P&J: "Exclusion zone set up around Skye barge giving off rotten eggs smell"
"Experts tackle lethal gas leaking from sunken feed barge" (Fish Farming Expert)
Toxic Gasses Spew From The Scottish Salmon Company (Bakkafrost Scotland) Off Portree
Nothing to read in West Highland Free Press on the "explosive" gases which leaked from a salmon farm off Portree – reported @timesscotland @pressjournal @radio_skye @BBCHighlands @STVNews @IntraFish @salmonfarming1 but not @WHFP1 @paul_wood_whfp @KeithMacKenzie1 @_Adam_Gordon pic.twitter.com/eIyh0OlB6P
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 25, 2022
BBC, ITV, P&J, The Times, Radio Skye, The National, Intrafish & others have featured this news story but not the West Highland Free Press @paul_wood_whfp @_Adam_Gordon @KeithMacKenzie1 @WHFP1 @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP pic.twitter.com/k5hk5N0Suv
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022
ADDENDUM:
Date: Fri, Dec 2, 2022 at 2:52 PM
Subject: Licence for Portree barge salvage?
To: <ms.spillresponse@gov.scot>, <HQ_SOSrep@mcga.gov.uk>, <HQ_counterpollution@mcga.gov.uk>, <ahsh@sepa.org.uk>, <zone36@hmcg.gov.uk>, <navigation@nlb.org.uk>, navigation safety <navigationsafety@mcga.gov.uk>, <emergency.planning@highland.gov.uk>, <marinepollution@nature.scot>, <scc@sepa.org.uk>
The West Highland Free Press reporting on the salvage operation at Bakkafrost's salmon farm off Portree @GaelForceGroup @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond @_KateForbes @Ianblackford_MP @cllrjfinlayson @HighlandCouncil @MCA_media @ScottishEPA @WHFP1 https://t.co/SNiBfYnIf5 pic.twitter.com/boq68tYFmN
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 2, 2022