Press Statement: "Death Becomes Scottish Salmon"

"Scottish salmon is dead in the water. Millions of farmed salmon & cleaner fish are dying on feedlots across Scotland – ravaged by lice infestations, infectious diseases, viruses, pathogens & welfare problems" https://t.co/LT9NovbI15 @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua @SoilAssociation pic.twitter.com/2O7rotCDOv

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 18, 2022

"Scottish salmon is dead in the water," said Don Staniford, Director of Scamon Scotland (formerly Scottish Salmon Watch). "Shame on supermarkets for greenwashing disease-ridden Scottish salmon as 'responsibly sourced', RSPCA Assured, 'organic' and 'farmed responsibly'. The fact is that millions of farmed salmon and cleaner fish are dying on feedlots across Scotland – ravaged by lice infestations, infectious diseases, viruses, pathogens and welfare problems. Consumers should boycott the welfare nightmare of Scottish salmon like the proverbial plague."

The Scottish Salmon Company, owned by Bakkafröst in the Faroes, reports shocking low welfare related mortality across a high proportion of its harvesting sites in Scotland. Losses as high as 82% on some feedlots.@MairiGougeon @MairiMcAllan @CVOScotland https://t.co/5g58AtfDjc pic.twitter.com/SQATzbwhRu

— Salmon Scotland (@SalmonScotland) March 18, 2022

Scamon Scotland reported this morning (18 March 2022):

A FOI disclosure @APHAgovuk has exposed 100% mortality of cleaner fish – and over half a million dead salmon – at The Scottish Salmon Company's Taranaish salmon farm near Breasclete in Loch Roag on the Isle of Lewis @salmon_scottish @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/kPQzvvpvVH @WHFP1 pic.twitter.com/9pDjpC9NY6

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 18, 2022

Scamon Scotland reported last week (7 March 2022):

Breaking News: 715,592 dead fish reported at The Scottish Salmon Company's Applecross/Russel Burn Hatchery in 6 incidents during 2022! @salmon_scottish @Folketrygdfond @ScotlandSalmon
"Systemic investigation ongoing" reports @marinescotland @ScotGovRural https://t.co/DqDKfxGm84 pic.twitter.com/h8M0e8XElw

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 7, 2022

A whistleblower told Scottish Salmon Watch in January that 600,000 farmed salmon had died in a welfare disaster @salmon_scottish's Applecross Hatchery – today @marinescotland reported 715,592 farmed salmon had died with a "systemic investigation ongoing"! https://t.co/DqDKfxFOiw pic.twitter.com/Hbb6bOPH2k

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 7, 2022

Scamon Scotland reported last month (15 February 2022):

Breaking News: 82.1% mortality rate (i.e. four out of every five fish dying) @salmon_scottish in Druimyeon Bay; 66% (i.e. two out of every three fish dying) at Vacasay on Lewis & 50% mortality @LochDuartSalmon in the Sound of Harris @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/kjNDyAMgKa pic.twitter.com/l2umcA571d

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 15, 2022

Data for mortalities during December 2021 (which includes cummulative mortality rates over the whole harvest cycle) have just been posted by Salmon Scotland – download online here

Scamon Scotland reported (1 February 2022):

EXPOSED: Salmon Scotland's Dirty Trade in Cleaner Fish https://t.co/Rt1GYWAoxV
Scottish salmon farming – along with millions of cleaner fish – is dead in the water! @ScotlandSalmon @MowiScotlandLtd @scotseafarms @marinescotland @onekindtweet @mcsuk @TheOpenSeas @ciwf @scotgp pic.twitter.com/xzuCm6fycp

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 1, 2022

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in January 2022:

Fresh Scottish Salmon anyone? Here's freshly published photos of disease-ridden fish farmed @salmon_scottish off Skye & the Isle of Gigha @marinescotland
Please boycott Scottish salmon! @Folketrygdfond @waitrose @coopuk @coopukpress @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/WK0SjATflz pic.twitter.com/MIBNEityBk

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 12, 2022

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in December 2021:

Death Becomes Bakkafrost (Faroese/Norwegian owner of The 'Scottish' Salmon Company) – £20 million losses due to mortalities in Scotland! @salmon_scottish @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond @NFdep @fiskeridir #Bakkafrost https://t.co/JFxXweHMIH pic.twitter.com/DEKvxDWXW3

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 23, 2021

Bakkafrost is registered in the Faroe Islands but the largest shareholder is the Norwegian Government.

Anyone for 'Scottish' salmon? Imported as eggs from Norway & Iceland and bankrolled by £££$$€€s in #Norway, #Faroes, #USA, #Denmark & #Belgium
'Exclusively from Scotland' claims @salmon_scottish "Provenance guaranteed" @waitrose @wjhm93 @Folketrygdfond https://t.co/NusyErqUWk pic.twitter.com/H2CZUVJEjD

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 13, 2020

In November 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch wrote to the Norwegian Government asking them to divest from the their unethical and irresponsible ownership of The Scottish Salmon Company (and other salmon farming companies operating in Scotland).

Did you know that the Norwegian Government's Pension Fund (derived from Norway's oil revenues) is the largest or 2nd largest shareholder in companies which account for 80% of 'Scottish' salmon farming? @Folketrygdfond @MowiScotlandLtd @salmon_scottish https://t.co/4P1m3g2CvT pic.twitter.com/Sl6bFlcwaK

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 30, 2020