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)!

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

A Freedom of Information disclosure 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.

Last month (4 February 2022) Scamon Scotland wrote to the UK Government raising the issue of welfare abuse of cleaner fish on salmon farms in Scotland – here's their FOI reply dated 14 March 2022:

The Appendix of disclosed information included:

There is no salmon farm at Braesclate but The Scottish Salmon Company services salmon farms in Loch Roag out of Breasclete Pier – including Vacasay salmon farm and Taranaish salmon farm (both are licensed for salmon, lumpsuckers and wrasse):

Mortality data published by Salmon Scotland reveals that Vacasay, Taranaish and Vuia Mor salmon farms in Loch Roag experienced mass mortalities in late 2021 – with Vacasay reporting a staggering 49% monthly mortality in October 2021 and 26% monthly mortality in November 2021 before harvesting out in December 2021 with a cummulative mortality of 66% whilst Taranaish reported 49% monthly mortality in December 2021 and 57% monthly mortality in November 2021 (data for January 2022 is still not published):

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

Mortality data published by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate on 7 March 2022 details a staggering 522,553 morts at Taranaish salmon farm via 14 'Mortality Event Reports' and 38,856 morts at Vacasay salmon farm via 8 'Mortality Event Reports' since October 2021. "Site inspected on the 7/12/2021 with diagnostioc samples taken, IPNv identified, recent issues reported onsite include AGD, PRV, SAV, Tenacibaculum," reported The Scottish Salmon Company on 20 December 2021 detailing 66,000 farmed salmon mortalities (no mention is made of dead lumpsuckers or wrasse) at Taranaish in Loch Roag. A further 129,650 morts were reported on 6 December 2021 and 92,891 more morts on 22 November 2021 at Taranaish salmon farm:

Here's the Fish Health Inspectorate's report on Taranaish salmon farm detailing the inspection on 7 December 2021 (Additional case 20210553) – including over 7,000 ballan wrasse mortalities and 100% mortality (i.e. all the wrasse died) by Week 45 (sadly there are no photos of the dead ballan wrasse):

Given 100% mortality in cleaner fish & half a million+ farmed salmon morts since October, maybe the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission should visit @salmon_scottish in Loch Roag? Here's photos from a visit @APHAgovuk & @marinescotland in December@Folketrygdfond @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/l2hv2yEk02 pic.twitter.com/vQPNlNZKBU

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 18, 2022

Here's the Fish Health Inspectorate Visit Report dated 25 January 2021 which reports 100% cleaner fish mortality at The Scottish Salmon Company's Taranaish salmon farm in Loch Roag on the Isle of Lewis – as well as a host of infectious diseases, pathogens and viruses (as well as antibiotic resistance) in farmed salmon:

Following the Fish Health Inspectorate's visit to Taranaish salmon farm on 7 December 2021, The Scottish Salmon Company [name redacted but their phone number is 0131 718 8500 which is The Scottish Salmon Company's head office in Edinburgh] wrote to APHA on 10 December 2021 providing more information on wrasse mortalities:

Here's the Excel spreadsheet for mortality of cleaner fish at Taranaish salmon farm in 2021 (download online here):

APHA replied in an email to The Scottish Salmon Company on 13 December 2021:

The Scottish Salmon Company wrote to APHA on 11 January 2022 outlining improvements to cleaner fish welfare:

Dead salmon and wrasse are not the only dead animals on show at The Scottish Salmon Company's Taranaish salmon farm – photos disclosed last year to Scottish Salmon Watch via FOI detailed a dead seal at Taranaish salmon farm in Loch Roag:

Scottish salmon served with a side of dead seal anyone? https://t.co/88Kn1lZwpx @salmon_scottish @Try_Lochlander @coopuk @SSPOsays @Sygazette @WHFP1 @pressjournal @BBCScotlandNews @HebridesNews @strandings @marinescotland pic.twitter.com/doOXwCeKAy

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 8, 2021

Next time you see Scottish salmon in the supermarket please think of 1,000+ seals killed on salmon farms since 2011. If you buy Scottish salmon you have blood on your hands! https://t.co/88Kn1lZwpx @salmon_scottish @SSPOsays @Try_Lochlander @coopuk @ciwf @PETAUK @onekindtweet pic.twitter.com/0IJ7kz67Rb

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 8, 2021

The Scottish Salmon Company's Vacasay salmon farm was the scene of another mass mortality and welfare disaster back in the Summer of 2018 exposed by Corin Smith of Inside Scottish Salmon Feedlots – as featured on the BBC's 'One Show' in September 2018:

Here's Scamon Scotland's FOI request and letter dated 4 February 2022:

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Feb 4, 2022 at 12:02 PM
Subject: Letter & FOI request to Secretary of State re. cleaner fish mortalities on salmon farms in Scotland
To: <defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk>, <george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk>
Cc: <scottish.ministers@gov.scot>, SM-APHA-Enquiries APHA <enquiries@apha.gov.uk>, <APHA.Scotland@apha.gsi.gov.uk>, APHA Corporate Correspondence <apha.corporatecorrespondence@apha.gsi.gov.uk>

Please pass another letter and FOI request onto the Secretary of State (this is copied to Scottish Ministers and APHA) – download online here

It is also available online via:

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

Please note that Scottish Salmon Watch's letter of 20 April 2021 has still not been replied to – it is enclosed with today's letter from Scamon Scotland (formerly Scottish Salmon Watch) along with a letter to Scottish Ministers dated 1 February 2022.

Please consider this a formal request for information via the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations.

Please provide the information electronically.

Please provide a receipt for this letter and FOI request.

Thanks,

Don Staniford

Director, Scamon Scotland

The letter and FOI request to George Eustace as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs demanded site specific data on mortalities of wrasse and lumpfish on salmon farms as well as welfare inspections to monitor welfare abuse as legislated via the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 (Section 19: Unnecessary Suffering and Section 24: Ensuring Welfare of Animals).

50+ Million Cleaner Fish Die Each Year on Norwegian Salmon Farms – how many millions die on Norwegian-owned salmon farms in Scotland (& Ireland)? @DefraGovUK @APHAgovuk @scotgov @ScotGovNetZero @marinescotland @fiskeridir @NFdep @InfoMattilsynet @Sciencenorwayno @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/UbcFhIeldv

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 4, 2022

Last month (1 February 2022), Scamon Scotland wrote to Scottish Ministers asking for welfare abuse of cleaner fish on salmon farms to be tackled:

Scottish Ministers must establish a public register of shipments of cleaner fish; report monthly mortalities & test for infectious diseases on salmon farms https://t.co/faHC5W6D8n
Scottish salmon’s dirty trade in cleaner fish must stop now! @ScotlandSalmon @scotgov @scotgp pic.twitter.com/gxGAumIsgP

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 1, 2022

Why is @scotgov turning a blind eye to welfare abuse of 'cleaner fish' on salmon farms? @ScotlandSalmon @MowiScotlandLtd @salmon_scottish @scotseafarms https://t.co/Rt1GYWAoxV
Please end the welfare nightmare! @scotgp @ciwf @PETAUK @HSIGlobal @Animallawyersuk @onekindtweet pic.twitter.com/n3SID7Iy7B

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 1, 2022

Here's video footage of dead farmed salmon and cleaner fish at The Scottish Salmon Company in Loch Fyne and at Toward on Loch Striven:

The 'Scottish' Salmon Company is owned by Norwegian and Faroese investors – including the Norwegian Government's Ministry of Trade.

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

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

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