Deadly Mowi - the Horror Story Continues!

Norwegian-owned Marine Harvest renamed itself Mowi on 1 January 2019 due to negative consumer perception.

With all the dead bodies piling up at Mowi's door it may have to think about re-branding itself again.

The Press & Journal reported (21 February 2020):

When Scottish Salmon Watch visited Mowi's Ardintoul salmon farm in Loch Alsh in November 2019 we reported reckless behaviour to the Health & Safety Executive and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency.

In January 2020, Mowi warned people to keep away from their farms. "As activists continue to sidestep the democratic process in favour of interrupting work spaces, governments must step up to protect the health and safety of employees working within the laws of the country," wrote Mowi Scotland's Director of Communications in Fish Farmer magazine (16 January 2020).

Mass mortalities on Mowi salmon farms in Scotland may not trigger investigations by Police Scotland, the Health & Safety Executive or the Maritime & Coastguard Agency but they may well represent a breach of animal welfare laws and certainly leave a bad taste in the mouth.

Data published earlier this month by the Scottish Government reveal that Mowi/Marine Harvest reported over 5.4 million dead salmon via 258 'Mortality Event Reports' between 2017 and 2019.

Here's the worst mass mortality events officially reported by Mowi/Marine Harvest since 2017:

No wonder the Mowinckel family (after whom Mowi is named) strongly objected to their good name was being dragged down into the gutter.

Mowi is also guilty of slaughtering seals in Loch Alsh – including grey seals killed at Ardintoul in 2019 according to data published by the Scottish Government in November 2019:

Tourist operator Nigel Smith has reported seals slaughtered in Loch Alsh (a Special Area of Conservation and Marine Protected Area) with shocking photos of dead seals naming and shaming Marine Harvest.

BBC News reported in 2005:

BBC News reported in 2008:

In October 2019, Mowi was in hot water in Canada in relation to the late reporting of disease problems and Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) in particular.

In November 2019, The Telegram reported:

The Globe & Mail reported (8 October 2019) on the "awful smell" coming from Mowi:

When Scottish Salmon Watch visited Mowi's Bagh Dail Nan Ceann (Bay of the Dead Heads) salmon farm in early July 2019 there were visible health challenges with dead and dying lumpfish littering the surface.

Shocking video footage of salmon mortalities at Mowi's 'Bay of the Dead Heads' in September 2019 was posted by diver David Ainsley.

Mowi reported in October 2019:

The Sunday National & Ferret reported in November 2019:

Mowi's salmon farm at MacLean's Nose in Loch Sunart reported 140,873 dead salmon in six incidents in 2019 (all in May) with Cardiomyopathy Syndrome cited as the reason for mortalities (it appears that Mowi may not have reported the incidents immediately):

Mowi's salmon farm at Camas Glas in Loch Sunart reported 128,361 dead salmon in three incidents in 2019 (all in October) with Pasteurella skyensis cited as the reason for mortalities:

Mowi's salmon farm at Poll na Gille in Loch Shuna reported 114,514 dead salmon in five incidents in 2019 (all in September & October) with Anaemia, Pasteurella skyensis, complex gill disease, treatment losses and Hydrolicer treatments cited as reasons for mortalities: