We’ve reached an informal resolution with Marine Scotland about licencing and enforcement procedures around the use of Acoustic Deterrent Devices in marine environments. Read the report here: https://t.co/zdzkdDDE6b pic.twitter.com/CQpPt6hFei
— Environmental Standards Scotland (@EnvStanScot) August 5, 2022
Environmental Standards Scotland reported (5 August 2022):
Landmark Victory: sonic torture of cetaceans by salmon farm ADDs is dead in the water – damning report @EnvStanScot catches @marinescotland breaking EU law! @EU_ENV @nature_scot @ScottishEPA @MairiMcAllan @MairiGougeon @ScotGovNetZero @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/el4a3hVBeg pic.twitter.com/gkVg2lmZOO
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 10, 2022
Which member of @ScotlandSalmon was still using ADDs illegally in 2022? "One fish farm was observed operating an ADD & @marinescotland issued the
operator an Enforcement Notice" @EnvStanScot https://t.co/CGkuGvbmHN@HamishMacdonell @AthollDuncan @tavishscott @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/B2oiC7tltw pic.twitter.com/F2JmR7bAFU— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 10, 2022
Here's the summary from Enironmental Standards Scotland:
Which civil servants @marinescotland @ScotGovNetZero @nature_scot turned blind eyes to EU law @EU_ENV & allowed fish farms to operate illegally for decades? https://t.co/SXBkXkQXQ0
Did bully @FergusEwingSNP @theSNP silence enforcement? @scotgov @ScotlandSalmon @ArianeBurgessHI pic.twitter.com/0Of5QT6hb7— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 10, 2022
In the interest of openness I'm sharing the letter I sent to the Lord Advocate after our meeting with @marinescotland on 25 November 2019 and the reply received from the latter. It was disappointing that @COPFS decided not to investigate obvious law breaking. pic.twitter.com/zFpoa3FHEk
— Eòghann MacUalraig (@ewangkennedy) August 10, 2022
Download the Environmental Standards Scotland report – "Marine Scotland's Enforcment of Acoustic Deterrent Devices" – in full online here
The damning report published by Environmental Standards Scotland includes:
Why @ScotlandSalmon can't be trusted to self-regulate: "Marine Scotland’s approach to ensuring compliance appeared to place the onus on the aquaculture industry to self-determine whether the ADDs in use disturb cetacean species & whether they required an EPS licence" @EnvStanScot pic.twitter.com/lUcKPFAy75
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 10, 2022
The ESS report (5 August 2022) summarized how there was a lack of confidence in Marine Scotland preventing unlawful use of ADDs by salmon farmers:
'Informal resolution' of the illegal use of ADDs by salmon farms across Scotland was undertaken:
The ESS report (5 August 2022) cited one salmon farm which had been served with an enforcement notice during 2022 with respect to the illegal use of ADDs:
Environmental Standards Scotland 'inspection progress update' (May 2022): "One fish farm was observed operating an ADD & @marinescotland issued the operator an Enforcement Notice" https://t.co/CGkuGvbmHN
Which salmon farm was still operating illegally? @ScotlandSalmon @scotgp pic.twitter.com/FBSBVJI3nb— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 10, 2022
The salmon farming sector has seen the writing on the wall (which spells out "ADDs are illegal") for a while now. Fish Farming Expert reported in November 2021:
Fish Farmer reported in November 2021:
"Five out of the six top farms in Scotland" use GenusWave's 'Acoustic Startle Technology' – but is it MMPA compliant & does it comply with EU law?https://t.co/Mnc3yvlWby @NOAA @marinescotland @MairiMcAllan @MairiGougeon @SSPOsays @chazz_findlay @denrisch @SAMSoceannews @EU_ENV pic.twitter.com/PIcWYW6DXI
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) June 9, 2021
Read more via:
- Landmark Victory: Sonic Torture of Cetaceans by ADDs Is Dead in the Water!
- Scottish Salmon Caught Telling Porkies on ADDs?
- "Salmon farms probed for using illegal 'scarers' which threaten dolphins" (Mail on Sunday)
- RSPCA Assured food label scheme accused of protecting ‘salmon farmers and retailers’
- FOI Exposes Lobbying by 'Scottish' Salmon on Killing of Seals & Use of ADDs
- The Oban Times: "Seal scarer devices may harm harbour porpoise"
- "Five out of the six top farms in Scotland" use GenusWave's 'Acoustic Startle Technology' – But is it MMPA compliant & does it comply with EU law?
- "Scientists sound warning over next-gen seal scarers"
- Journal of Applied Ecology: "Auditory impairment from acoustic seal deterrents predicted for harbour porpoises in a marine protected area"
- Fish Farmer: "Seal scarers could harm porpoises, study finds"
- Parliamentary Report: "ADD Use in the Aquaculture Sector"
- Scientific Study into Impact of Low Frequency ADDs Silenced!
- Pulling the Plug on ADD on salmon farms – is turning down the volume enough to comply with the law?
- Sunday Times: "Animal welfare campaigners sound out ban on acoustic seal deterrent"
- Mail On Sunday: "Salmon farmers are 'torturing' porpoises and dolphins with high-pitched noises to protect their stock, campaigners warn"
- Unlicensed use of ADDs in aquaculture is contrary to European Protected Species legislation & completely immoral!
- Daily Record: "Whales and dolphins being 'tortured' by anti-seal scare devices at Scottish fish farms"
- The Guardian: "Scottish salmon farmers to be banned from shooting seals"
- Caught Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea
- The Ferret: "Seal scarers used by fish farms branded 'sonic torture'"
- GenusWave 'Targeted Acoustic Startle Technology' – in compliance with the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act??
- Seal shooting at salmon farms doubles before ban
- Ban on seal shooting must be watertight
- Greens want ban on seal scarers
- BBC Countryfile on ADDs impacting on cetaceans
- Sounding Off On Salmon Farms – Acoustic Deterrent Devices evade Marine Noise Registry
- SARF report 112: "Influences of lower-frequency Acoustic Deterrent Devices (ADDs) on cetaceans in Scottish coastal waters"
- The Times: "Noisy fish farms ‘harm other marine life’"
- Mapping widespread and increasing underwater noise pollution from acoustic deterrent devices
- Sounding Off About Scotland's Noisy Salmon Farms – Turn Off Acoustic Deterrent Devices to Protect Cetaceans
- Deafening Impact of Salmon Farms on Cetaceans
- The National: "Warning salmon farm devices could hit wildlife tourism"
- Turning Down the Volume on Salmon Farms is Not Enough: 'Cetacean Friendly' Acoustic Deterrent Devices Still Harm & Must Be Banned
- Cetaceans Sound Alarm On Salmon Farms – new research sparks EC complaint & call to ban Acoustic Deterrent Devices
- Sunday Herald: "Health of whales, dolphins and porpoises put at risk by underwater alarms"
- Noisy Salmon Farms – Switch Off Acoustic Deterrent Devices Now!
A great result! 🎊
Last week a case brought to @EnvStanScot by CCN over the unlawful use of ADDs 📢on salmon farms has led to a de-facto ban on these devices.
ADDs emit high frequency pulses which disturb ceteaceans🐬🐋#CommunityActionhttps://t.co/SE6Y4ozd7R
— Coastal Communities Network (CCN) (@CCNScotland) August 9, 2022
Surely it is @scotgp who are the bad joke for not forcing @scotgov to comply with EU law? @EU_ENV @nature_scot @ArianeBurgessHI @patrickharvie @lornaslater @POScotParl @ScotParl @NicolaSturgeon @ScotGovNetZero
The silence of the greens on salmon farming issues is deafening! pic.twitter.com/vrYQ8RuxXj— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 10, 2022