Closing the Net on Welfare Abuse on Salmon Farms – Scottish Veterinary Service replaces APHA

6 pack #4 wefare

 

 

 

 

 

Surveillance and scrutiny of welfare abuse inside salmon farms cannot possibly get any worse but it may be about to take a significant turn for the better with the creation of a new animal health and welfare agency in Scotland.    The Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) is dead, long live the Scottish Veterinary Service (SVS)!  The issue of the APHA being replaced by the SVS was the subject of a letter from John Robins of Animal Concern to the Scottish Government sent last month (18 February 2022):

 

Mairi Gougeon MSP

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands

The Scottish Government

St Andrew's House

Regent Road

Edinburgh

EH1 3DG

                                                                                                                                                               

Dear Minister,

I write concerning the proposed Scottish Veterinary Service which will take over the duties of the APHA in Scotland.

This would be a major step forward for animal welfare but only if the SVS is fully resourced and empowered to properly police all sectors of animal agriculture in Scotland. That would mean providing the SVS with its own transport to conduct unannounced inspections of salmon farms.

At the moment I understand that any (if any) visits to salmon farms are facilitated using boats operated by the owners of the farms. Knowing a visitor is expected I’m sure that like anyone preparing for a guest, the farms make sure everything is spic and span before arrival.

It would also be sensible to request that responsibility for the welfare of animals in research laboratories in Scotland be devolved from the Home Office to the Scottish Government and the SVS.  Can you tell me if the Scottish Government is considering seeking transfer of this responsibility?

I’d be grateful if you would tell me who is on the Board which is meeting for the first time later this month to decide on the format and future workings of the SVS. If necessary please regard this as a request under Freedom of Information legislation.

Yours sincerely,

John F. Robins,

For Animal Concern

 

John Robins

 

 

Similar sentiments were expressed by John Robins of Animal Concern in a letter published in the Edinburgh Evening News (17 February 2022):

 

SVS replacing APHA blog #1 SVS replacing APHA blog #2

 

 

 

Here's a reply from the Scottish Government dated 9 March 2022:

 

SVS replacing APHA FOI disclosure SG 9 March 2022 #1

SVS replacing APHA FOI disclosure SG 9 March 2022 #2

 

SVS replacing APHA FOI disclosure SG 9 March 2022 #3

SVS replacing APHA FOI disclosure SG 9 March 2022 #4

 

The Scottish Government announced the creation of a new Scottish Veterinary Service in a press release on 12 February 2022:

 

SVS replacing APHA blog #3

SVS replacing APHA blog #4

SVS replacing APHA blog #5

 

 

 

Back in April 2021, Scottish Salmon Watch exposed the woeful lack of surveillance by APHA with respect to salmon farms in Scotland with a letter sent to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (20 April 2021). 

 

 

 

Letter to DEFRA from SSW on systemic failures to capture evidence of welfare abuse 20 April 2021 #2

 

 

 

 

The need for greater scrutiny and surveillance of welfare problems endemic in salmon farming has been highlighted by secret filming inside cages by Scottish Salmon Watch, Compassion in World Farming and Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots since 2018.   

 

 

 

 

Netflix's 'Seaspiracy' has brought the issue of welfare abuse, lice infestation and infectious diseases on Scottish salmon farms into the living rooms of millions of people around the world. 

Seaspiracy Netflix salmon poster RSPCA ASC

 

 

Seaspiracy features covert video footage shot at Mowi's Gorsten salmon farm in Loch Linnhe – a site accredited as 'welfare friendly' via RSPCA and marketed as "responsibly farmed" by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seaspiracy also features shocking video footage shot by Corin Smith of Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots inside The Scottish Salmon Company's lice-infested salmon farm at Vacasay in Loch Roag (a site shamefully endorsed by the SSPCA whose chair, quelle horreur, is a salmon farmer). 

 

 

 

 

In November 2021, France 5 broadcast shocking video footage of welfare abuse shot inside salmon farms operated by The Scottish Salmon Company and Mowi:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In October 2021, STV News reported on mass mortalities at The Scottish Salmon Company off the Isle of Gigha (using drone footage published by Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos published by the Scottish Government in January 2022 showed the extent of the welfare abuse at The Scottish Salmon Company:

 

 

 

 

In the abscence of welfare inspections by APHA, it is photographic evidence sourced from Scottish Government inspectors and video evidence from secret filming which has exposed systemic welfare abuse on salmon farms across Scotland.

 

 

 

 

 

In September 2021, the Kate Winslet-narrated film 'Eating Our Way to Extinction' quite literally lifted the lid on welfare abuse endemic in salmon farming in Scotland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video footage shot inside The Scottish Salmon Company's West Strome salmon farm in September 2021 exposed horrific welfare abuse:

 

 

 

 

 

Video footage shot in September 2021 inside a fish farm operated by Kames Fish Farming at Shuna Castle in the Sound of Jura exposed welfare abuse and mass mortalities of Steelhead trout:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mass mortalities at Dawnfresh in Loch Etive in August 2021 – exposed via drone surveillance by Dip in the Blue – also raised the issue of welfare abuse on trout farms. 

 

 

 

 

 

Secret filming by Scottish Salmon Watch exposed welfare abuse at Mowi salmon farms around the Isle of Shuna near Oban in July 2021.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seaspiracy's Instagram page broadcast the shocking video footage to over one million people – many of whom took the 'Salmon Pledge' never to eat Scottish salmon ever again. 

 

 

 

 

In May 2021, secret filming in Loch Spelve exposed welfare abuse and disease problems at Scottish Sea Farms – and triggered a Scottish Government inspection which found Infectious Salmon Anaemia leading to an official report being filed to the World Organization for Animal Health.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In March 2021, damning video evidence published by Compassion in World Farming and OneKind exposed endemic welfare abuse in salmon farms across Scotland.

 

 

 

 

Photographic evidence compiled by Compassion in World Farming is available online here

 

CIWF photos #1

CIWF photos #2 CIWF photos #3

 

 

 

An undercover investigation by Animal Equality published in February 2021 exposed welfare abuse at The Scottish Salmon Company's slaughter facility at Arnish near Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis:

 

 

 

 

In December 2020, BBC 'Countryfile' featured welfare abuse inside Scottish Sea Farms in Loch Creran (a farm certified as 'welfare friendly' by RSPCA Assured and marketed as 'responsibly sourced' by M&S):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secret filming by Scottish Salmon Watch uncovered welfare abuse at Kames Fish Farming in Loch Tralaig in September 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lack of welfare surveillance is not only a problem for farmed salmon and trout but also for 'cleaner fish' which are dying in their millions inside salmon farms.  Scamon Scotland reported last month (1 February 2022):

 

 

 

 

 

 

When APHA has investigated salmon farms it has often been triggered by welfare complaints – as was the case when Scottish Salmon Watch filmed at Mowi's 'Bay of the Dead Heads' salmon farm in the Sound of Jura in July 2019. 

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch's video evidence of dead and dying 'cleaner fish' – in this case lumpsuckers – littering the surface of Mowi's salmon farm at the aptly named 'Bay of the Dead Heads' led to an inspection by APHA and Marine Scotland which led to a 'warning letter' in September 2019 where Mowi were deemed to have broken welfare laws.    The Ferret/Sunday National reported in November 2019:

 

Sunday National 10 Nov 2019 newspaper version in full

Ferret 10 Nov 2019 #4

 

 

Here's APHA's letter to Mowi dated 16 September 2019 – obtained via Freedom of Information in April 2020:

 

APHA Failure to Comply letter to Mowi 16 Sept 2019 BDNC #1

APHA Failure to Comply letter to Mowi 16 Sept 2019 BDNC #2

 

 

 

 

 

Scamon Scotland can only hope that the Scottish Veterinary Service actually upholds the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 rather than continuing APHA's policy of turning a blind eye to welfare abuse on salmon farms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

Coming Clean on Welfare Abuse of Cleaner Fish – FOI lifts lid on 100% mortality of wrasse at The Scottish Salmon Company (& over half a million dead salmon)!

The Worst Salmon Toilets in Scotland (even worse than Trainspotting)!

Revealed: 30+ Million Dead Scottish Salmon Since 2017 – over 8 million morts reported last year & over half a million in first two weeks of 2022!!

50 Million Cleaner Fish Die Each Year on Norwegian Salmon Farms – how many millions die on Norwegian-owned salmon farms in Scotland (& Ireland)?

EXPOSED: Salmon Scotland's Dirty Trade in Cleaner Fish

Scottish Salmon Exposed – Photos highlight the disease & welfare nightmare at The Scottish Salmon Company!

Video of France 5s 'The Truth About Salmon' featuring Mowi & The Scottish Salmon Company

Caught on Camera – How the Go Pro Dealt the Death Blow to Salmon Farming

Video Nasties of Dead Farmed Salmon Pile Up All Over the World!

Backgrounder: Secret Filming Exposes the Welfare Nightmare of Factory Fish Farming

Videos of Welfare Abuse at The Scottish Salmon Company in Loch Carron (West Strome salmon farm)

Breaking News: "Horror Videos Reveal Welfare Abuse Inside Scottish Salmon & Trout Cages"

Photos of Welfare Abuse at The Scottish Salmon Company in Loch Carron (West Strome salmon farm)

Videos of Welfare Abuse at Kames Fish Farming in the Sound of Jura (Shuna Castle)

Welfare Complaint Vs The Scottish Salmon Company in Loch Carron (7 September 2021)

Rest Assured – the RSPCA has been captured, co-opted & corrupted by the Salmafia

Mail on Sunday: "Revealed, the nauseating underbelly of Scotland's £1 billion salmon farms: fish eaten alive by lice, awash with faeces, dead salmon left to rot"

Press Release: "Secret Filming Exposes Welfare Abuse at RSPCA Assured Mowi – Campaigners call for Mowi to be fined & RSPCA certification rescinded"

RSPCA Sponsored Welfare Abuse of Salmon Farms – A Guide to Getting Away with Mass Murder (Theriocide)!

Letter to Secretary of State re. Welfare Abuse at Scottish Salmon Farms

Whitewashing Welfare Abuse of Scottish Salmon (as sponsored via RSPCA, SSPCA & APHA)

Revealed: The Farmed Salmon Crisis

Media Backgrounder: The Welfare Nightmare of Scottish Salmon (Updated)

Covid measures ‘didn’t affect farmed salmon welfare’ claim Marine Scotland Science (who were not allowed to inspect farms for half of 2020)!

Ongoing welfare abuse & unnecessary suffering on salmon farms – why no prosecutions?

RSPCA Suspend Salmon Farm Inspections

Censored: Welfare Abuse on Salmon Farms

Photo Dossier of Diseased, Deformed & Abused Scottish Salmon

Welfare Abuse on Scottish Salmon Farms – Legal Action Vs Scottish Ministers & Salmon Farming Companies

Welfare Abuse at Scottish Salmon Farms – Why No Legal Enforcement Or Prosecutions?

Legal Complaint Vs Breaches of Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act

 

 

 

 

 

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