"Celebrate" 25 years of "international success of Scottish salmon"?!

Here's an invitation (obtained via Freedom of Information) to the Chief Executive of Orkney Islands Council to a 'celebration' of 25 years of "the international success of Scottish salmon" on 16 March in Edinburgh:

Download as a PDF online here

Here's another invitation (also obtained via Freedom of Information) to the Chief Executive of Argyll & Bute Council to "celebrate the renowned production of high quality, sustainable salmon":

Download invitation as a PDF online here

The Chief Executive and Chair of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have also been invited (read their invitations online here and online here) – with representatives sent on their behalf to the conference.

Documents obtained via FOI from the Scottish Government reveal that the SSPO also invited the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform:

The Deputy First Minister of Scotland:

The First Minister of Scotland was also invited to be "guest of honour" at the evening's reception and dinner at Edinburgh Castle – but politely declined:

The Deputy First Minister of Scotland also declined but his diary secretary stated that "Scottish salmon is undoubtedly world class which should be celebrated":

Scottish salmon is world class for sure!

For more background read:

"25 Reasons to Boycott Scottish Salmon"

"25 Years of Scottish Salmon Shame"

If you're not one of the Chief Executives or Government agencies supporting salmon farming expansion and have not been invited to the Scottish salmon schmoozefest please don't feel left out. You can make your voices heard outside the event. If you do not feel like "celebrating" 25 years of Scottish salmon farming and truly believe that Scottish farmed salmon is neither "high quality" nor "sustainable" please join protestors in Edinburgh on 16 March.

Please meet outside the Macdonald Holyrood Hotel (12 Noon to 2pm) where peaceful protestors (who will be liaising with both the conference organisers and the police) will be presenting the other side of the sordid Scottish salmon story.