The Fish Pharm Menace - Mowi is Like a Bad Movie (& Dick Dastardly)!

When Scottish Salmon Watch visited salmon farms operated by Mowi (formerly called Marine Harvest) around the Island of Shuna earlier this month (1 September) we were shadowed so closely that we've written a letter to the Chief Executive of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency regarding Mowi's intimidation, harassment and reckless navigation in ignoring the 'rules of the road'.

Being harassed by Mowi boats brought back memories of the poor pigeon chased down by Dastardly & Muttley.

Our small kayak was dwarfed by Mowi power boats deliberately and dangerously blocking our safe navigation through public waters (the Round Shuna pursuit yacht race was taking place during our visit to Mowi's Port Na Cro salmon farm). Despite Scottish Salmon Watch's repeated requests to "avoid unnecessary confrontation", Police Scotland failed to monitor the protests allowing Mowi to act unchecked.

Mowi's menacing tactics in Scotland are similar to the surveillance, intimidation and harassment employed by Mowi in Canada.

Or the threatening behaviour of Police Scotland who in July 2019 were caught acting as private security for Norwegian-owned salmon farms.

Despite Mowi's repeated attempts at blocking our approach, we successfully sampled untreated sewage waste effluent (which we suspect may contain infectious diseases, pathogens, bacteria and viruses such a Piscine Reovirus) in the public waters close to Mowi's salmon farms.

Here's video footage from our visit to Mowi's Port Na Cro salmon farm (Mowi staff also have much more video footage!):

Here's video footage from Mowi's SW Shuna salmon farm (the site is actually registered to and owned by Kames Fish Farming with the name Rubh an Trilleachain):

Here's video footage of our visit to Mowi's Poll Na Gille salmon farm (ranked the worst for welfare) on 1 September 2019.

Here's a summary video report of our protests over the weekend of 31 August & 1 September 2019:

Prior to visiting salmon farms, Scottish Salmon Watch take appropriate biosecurity precautions (as recommended by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation):

However, seagulls (and other wildlife including wild fish such as herring which have been filmed in the vicinity and inside salmon farms) do not take biosecurity safeguards as the salmon farm operates in an open water environment.

Operating in an open water environment can have significant impacts way beyond the salmon farm lease area. Peer-reviewed science has shown the lethal impact of toxic chemicals used by salmon farms on shellfish, seaweed and the marine environment.

Noise pollution from the Acoustic Deterrent Devices (ADDs) used by salmon farms has been shown by peer-reviewed scientific research to impact on cetaceans up to 50km away:

The take-home message – to be heard loud and clear around the world – is don't buy Scottish salmon. Please take the pledge not to buy farmed salmon.

And don't buy Mowi's disease-ridden salmon – I'd rather eat my own vomit!

Please educate your children on the risks posed by farmed salmon and salmon farming!

And take a look at what Mowi's salmon really look like when the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate do find time to inspect their filthy farms:

With rising Summer temperatures and warmer weather, the alarm bells are ringing that 2019 could be the worst year on record for mortalities and diseases on Scottish salmon farms. Salmon Business reported in May: