Mowi's Director of Communications @BBCTheOneShow: "We've entered into a 2-year comprehensive study to make sure that we understand if there are any long term impacts….we're talking about a potential risk but we just don't know. What we need is science" https://t.co/YxeLot9XGc pic.twitter.com/5L4cDUsf1X
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 12, 2020
Watching Mowi's Director of Communications Ian Roberts on the BBC One Show earlier this evening (12 October 2020) reminded me of Saddam Hussein's Information Minister 'Comedy Ali'.
When questioned by the BBC's reporter Joe Crowley, Mowi's Director of Communications says with a straight-face (although his nose may have lengthened like Pinocchio): "We've entered into a two-year comprehensive study to make sure that we understand if there are any long term impacts. Specific to Scotland we're talking about a potential risk but we just don't know. What we need is science not just opinion."
The showreel of Mowi's long-serving spin doctor perfectly illustrates the mantra of "delay, deny and distract" and the scientific obfuscation exposed in the book 'Merchants of D0ubt':
Meet Mowi's 'merchant of doubt' Ian Roberts (Director of Communications @MowiScotlandLtd) https://t.co/YxeLot9XGc "We're talking about a potential risk but we just don't know" @fms_scotland @marinescotland @FergusEwingMSP @strathearnrose @SalmonTroutCons @AST_Salmon @SSPOsays pic.twitter.com/B9ibLUeD65
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 13, 2020
The BBC's investigative show Panorama featured Ian Roberts in May 2019:
Mowi's Director of Communications appears to have memory loss concerning decades of scientific evidence detailing the impacts of escapes from salmon farms. "We just don't know" claims Mowi's Ian Roberts.
But we do know. And we have known for decades. "What we need is science," protests Mowi's spin doctor. But decades of science has already been published.
Mowi has memory loss concerning escapes from salmon farms. "We just don't know" claims Ian Roberts. But we do know! "What we need is science," protests Mowi's spin doctor. Yet decades of science has already been published! https://t.co/YxeLot9XGc @MowiScotlandLtd @fms_scotland pic.twitter.com/LUNyLSBnhi
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 12, 2020
Aquaculture reported in 1991:
Aquaculture Research reported in 1993:
New Scientist reported in 2002:
The Royal Society of London reported back in 2003:
Fisheries Management & Ecology reported in 2005:
The Daily Telegraph reported in 2006:
The Times reported in 2007:
The Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue's 'Technical Working Group on Escapes' – of which Mowi, when named Marine Harvest, was aware of and participated in – reported in 2008:
The report cites scientific research published by the Scottish Government since the early 1990s:
The Royal Society of London reported in 2009:
PLOS One reported in 2012:
Today's announcement by Mowi and Fisheries Management Scotland of yet another study "to gauge the impact of any interbreeding between wild and escaped farm-raised salmon" makes a mockery of over two decades of scientific research proving significant impacts. The Fish Site reported (12 October 2020):
Fisheries Management Scotland is blowing smoke when it welcomes Mowi's funding of "a comprehensive genetics study that will help us better understand the potential impacts" – it published a genetics report back in 2013 when Fisheries Management Scotland was called Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland!
The Sunday Times reported in March 2013:
The Scotsman reported in March 2013:
Wester Ross Fisheries Trust reported in March 2013:
The Sunday Times reported in March 2014:
The Times reported in September 2017:
How many more escapes have to happen and how many more scientific studies need to be published before action is taken?
"We have welcomed Mowi's commitment to work with us & to fund a comprehensive genetics study that will help us better understand the potential impacts," says @fms_scotland https://t.co/H2CvmxdUV7
Hasn't the science already been done to death? @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 12, 2020
Newsflash: Salmon farmers announce expensive new project to reinvent the wheel (and buy @MowiScotlandLtd two years) @fms_scotland @marinescotland https://t.co/AkEmyEcoic via @fishfarmermag
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 13, 2020
Mowi respond to escape with massive bribe err I mean study to buy off err I mean silence @fms_scotland @marinescotland https://t.co/UGaZF1ZWP1 @MowiScotlandLtd pic.twitter.com/qli3KDBivk
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 13, 2020
The Argyll Advertiser reported (13 October 2020):
Read more via:
- BBC One Show on Mowi's Great Escape
- Mowi Buys Off Fishery Board With £3,800 (plus VAT) Quad Bike
- Zero Escapees Recovered by Mowi Out of 48,834 – That's Officially 0%!
- Far from Fine: Mowi Recaptures Less Than 1% of Escapees in Scotland!
- Fines, Lost Licences & Prison Sentences for Repeat Escape Offenders!
- Beware of Deformed Mowi Salmon!
- Whistleblower Photos of Marine Harvest
- Scottish Salmon's Great Escape
- Invasion of the Viking Salmon Hits Scotland!
And how much more money will wild fishery groups take off salmon farming companies like Mowi?
"If it's less than 5k, Mowi can handle it" says @MowiScotlandLtd Director of Comms offering to buy off Ness District Salmon Fishery Board for £3,800 plus VAT. "Just request a Mowi logo on the side in the shape of a red hot flame (kidding)". "Looks schnazzy" says Ian Roberts pic.twitter.com/H2JxBxYYtB
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 12, 2020
Why does @FishtheNess allow itself to be monstrously compromised by @MowiScotlandLtd ? https://t.co/tpiOkeIlu8
Surely wild fish advocates should tell the disease-ridden #Salmafia to fish off? @fms_scotland @AST_Salmon
On your quad bike Mowi! @SSPOsays @SandTCUKYorks @FFFTmag pic.twitter.com/0f0Lvt2CZD— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 12, 2020
Photo Exclusive: Mowi's multi-pronged tactical approach to dealing with growing criticism from fishing & environmental groups @AST_Salmon @fms_scotland @ChrisDNessDSFB @FishtheNess @MowiScotlandLtd @lochaberfish @SpeyFishery @Argyll_Fish @WSFTrust @marinescotland @FergusEwingMSP pic.twitter.com/yDN3LuVNh3
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 13, 2020
Read more via:
- Fisheries Management Scotland's £38K "Fruitful Working Relationship" with Salmon Farmers
- The Atlantic Salmon Traitors – Selling the 'King of Fish' Down the River for £300K!
At least some fishery groups are not supping with the devil.
S&TC formally notifies NatureScot (formerly SNH) and the Environment Agency of threat of environmental damage to protected wild salmon SACs following the recent major escape of farmed salmon off the Mull of Kintyre.
Read more: https://t.co/R723MaXw0w pic.twitter.com/EMLPqcwFWa
— Salmon & Trout Conservation (@SalmonTroutCons) October 14, 2020
Read more via: "Salmon & Trout Conservation (S&TC) formally notifies NatureScot (formerly SNH) and the Environment Agency of threat of environmental damage to protected wild salmon SACs following the recent major escape of farmed salmon off the Mull of Kintyre"