Mowi Ignores Newton’s ‘Third Law of Motion’ – for every action, there’s an equal & opposite reaction!

 

 

When Mowi issued a press release publicising their lawsuit against me – contrary to the unwritten rules of the court – they ignored basic science that any school kid during Covid lockdown would have learned.

 

 

 

 

If the brains behind Mowi's ill-judged legal action need pictures, here's Newton's 'Third Law of Motion' explained by Garfield in images that even spoiled toddlers would understand.

 

Garfield clobber

 

 

 

On Friday afternoon I received a number of emails from reporters at various trade press publications asking for a comment in reaction to a press release issued by Norwegian-owned giant Mowi.    Two trade press reporters kindly shared Mowi's press release issued at 5.52am on Friday 8 October 2021 (Mowi's Director of Communications, Ian Roberts, could have been in Canada so 5.52am may have been 1.52pm UK time) and said they were reporting soon – here's one of the emails I received from Intrafish's editor:

 

Date: Fri, Oct 8, 2021 at 1:56 PM
Subject: Fw: News Release – Mowi seeks court order, undertakings received from defendant
To: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Cc: Intrafish Editorial <editorial@intrafish.com>
 
Hi Don – assuming you have seen? We'll be publishing a story on this soon, so if you have any first-take react to it, we would be happy to add to the piece.
 
 
From: Roberts, Ian <Ian.Roberts@mowi.com>
Sent: Friday, October 8, 2021 5:52 AM
Subject: News Release – Mowi seeks court order, undertakings received from defendant

 

Hello,

 

Please see news release below for your consideration. If you have any questions of clarification, please contact me directly. Mowi will not be providing additional comment at this time as it is ongoing litigation.

 

 

 

Court order sought to protect health and safety

 

Mowi Scotland is seeking a permanent interdict (injunction) against an individual who, despite repeated requests not to do so, has continued to put himself and the company’s employees and animals at risk.

 

Scotland’s largest salmon aquaculture company has commenced proceedings seeking orders preventing Don Staniford from entering onto, attaching vessels to or approaching within 15 metres of all structures, docks, walkways, buildings, floats or pens at its salmon aquaculture farming sites. Following the service of court papers, Mr Staniford gave undertakings to Court this week to not act as complained of pending a full determination of the proceedings.

 

Mowi Scotland COO Ben Hadfield says: “This person’s behaviours and actions that we have borne witness to over the past two years gives cause for great concern, and is not something that our staff should have to endure whilst going about their daily work. Everyone should be able to go to work and expect their workplace to be free of harassment and intimidation.”

 

Mr Staniford had been characterized by The Honourable Madam Justice Adair (Supreme Court of British Columbia) in the case of Mainstream Canada v. Don Staniford (2012)[i]. In her written judgement, Justice Adair pointed to Mr Staniford mocking the physical appearance of three woman who provided testimony, and described Mr Staniford as “akin to a zealot” who will “twist facts to conform to his own personal view.”

 

“While these behaviours and the complete lack of respect toward our employees are deeply concerning to us, the basis for these court proceedings is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our employees, our fish and Mr Staniford and his associates. Our business also receives much oversight from licensed professionals, government regulators and third-party auditors, and therefore does not require the services of self-appointed individuals.”

 

Mowi’s writ cites the regular site visits and audits conducted by professionals trained in such areas as fish health, safety, and environmental management. The Scottish salmon sector – the country’s largest food export – is recognised as one of the most highly regulated and transparent. Mowi Scotland’s salmon aquaculture farms were inspected 316 times in 2020 by third-party organisations that included Marine Scotland, SEPA and the RSPCA, with much of its data provided online for the public to access.

 

“We have not wanted to pursue legal recourse, but we cannot stand by and watch any person risk injury to themselves or for them to intentionally or unintentionally bring harm to our employees or our fish. These incursions are dangerous, unauthorised, risk our strict health protocols and have an unacceptable impact on our dedicated employees.”

 

[1] The Honourable Madam Justice Adair’s (Supreme Court of British Columbia) written judgement in the case of Mainstream Canada v. Don Staniford (2012) referred to Mr Staniford mocking the physical appearance of three woman who provided testimony (para 90) and described Mr Staniford as “akin to a zealot” (para 185-189). https://www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/SC/12/14/2012BCSC1433.htm

 

-ends-

 

 

 

Ian Roberts
Director of Communications
Scotland, Ireland, Canada
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Mobile: +1 (506) 754-6019
Mail: Ian.Roberts@mowi.com

 

 

 

 

 

Another email from a reporter at Undercurrent News said a news story was being published "in the next hour":

 

On Fri, 8 Oct 2021, 13:54 Neil Ramsden, <neil.ramsden@undercurrentnews.com> wrote:

Hi Don, 

 

We're going to run a story on this, if you'd care to comment? Aiming to publish in the next hour but can add comment as soon as it arrives. 

 

Best, Neil

 

———- Forwarded message ———
From: Roberts, Ian <Ian.Roberts@mowi.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
Subject: News Release – Mowi seeks court order, undertakings received from defendant
To:

Hello,

Please see news release below for your consideration. If you have any questions of clarification, please contact me directly. Mowi will not be providing additional comment at this time as it is ongoing litigation.

Court order sought to protect health and safety

 

Mowi Scotland is seeking a permanent interdict (injunction) against an individual who, despite repeated requests not to do so, has continued to put himself and the company’s employees and animals at risk.

Scotland’s largest salmon aquaculture company has commenced proceedings seeking orders preventing Don Staniford from entering onto, attaching vessels to or approaching within 15 metres of all structures, docks, walkways, buildings, floats or pens at its salmon aquaculture farming sites. Following the service of court papers, Mr Staniford gave undertakings to Court this week to not act as complained of pending a full determination of the proceedings.

Mowi Scotland COO Ben Hadfield says: “This person’s behaviours and actions that we have borne witness to over the past two years gives cause for great concern, and is not something that our staff should have to endure whilst going about their daily work. Everyone should be able to go to work and expect their workplace to be free of harassment and intimidation.”

Mr Staniford had been characterized by The Honourable Madam Justice Adair (Supreme Court of British Columbia) in the case of Mainstream Canada v. Don Staniford (2012)[i]. In her written judgement, Justice Adair pointed to Mr Staniford mocking the physical appearance of three woman who provided testimony, and described Mr Staniford as “akin to a zealot” who will “twist facts to conform to his own personal view.”

“While these behaviours and the complete lack of respect toward our employees are deeply concerning to us, the basis for these court proceedings is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our employees, our fish and Mr Staniford and his associates. Our business also receives much oversight from licensed professionals, government regulators and third-party auditors, and therefore does not require the services of self-appointed individuals.”

Mowi’s writ cites the regular site visits and audits conducted by professionals trained in such areas as fish health, safety, and environmental management. The Scottish salmon sector – the country’s largest food export – is recognised as one of the most highly regulated and transparent. Mowi Scotland’s salmon aquaculture farms were inspected 316 times in 2020 by third-party organisations that included Marine Scotland, SEPA and the RSPCA, with much of its data provided online for the public to access.

“We have not wanted to pursue legal recourse, but we cannot stand by and watch any person risk injury to themselves or for them to intentionally or unintentionally bring harm to our employees or our fish. These incursions are dangerous, unauthorised, risk our strict health protocols and have an unacceptable impact on our dedicated employees.”

[1] The Honourable Madam Justice Adair’s (Supreme Court of British Columbia) written judgement in the case of Mainstream Canada v. Don Staniford (2012) referred to Mr Staniford mocking the physical appearance of three woman who provided testimony (para 90) and described Mr Staniford as “akin to a zealot” (para 185-189). https://www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/SC/12/14/2012BCSC1433.htm

-ends-

Ian Roberts
Director of Communications
Scotland, Ireland, Canada
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Mobile: +1 (506) 754-6019
Mail: Ian.Roberts@mowi.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

By mid-afternoon, Mowi's Director of Communications (Ian Roberts) had posted Mowi's press release online – here's an email sent by Mowi's Director of Communications to a news reporter:

 

Subject: News Release: Mowi seeks court order, undertaking received from defendant
Date: 8 October 2021 at 16:08:28 BST
To:
 
I am forwarding you our latest news release for your consideration, as it is relevant to past stories covered by your publication. If you have any questions of clarification, please contact me directly. Mowi will not be providing additional comment at this time as it is ongoing litigation. 
 
 
 
Ian Roberts
Director of Communications
Scotland, Ireland, Canada
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 
 
 
 
 
And a post by Mowi on Twitter:
 

 

 

I felt obliged to defend my position so posted online a press statement in reply to Mowi's press release.

 

 

 

 

Mowi's appalling track record on health and safety and real motives behind the lawsuit were questioned in various Tweets and blogs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reason why Mowi wishes me to stay away from their salmon farms is painfully clear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STV News reported yesterday (11 October 2021):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The STV News article cited another STV News report from May 2021:

 

STV News May 2021 #1

STV News May 2021 #2 STV News May 2021 #3

 

 

 

 

Watch exclusive video footage of Mowi acting recklessly and dangerously at their Ardintoul salmon farm in Loch Alsh in November 2019 (three months before Mowi worker Clive Hendry died at the same salmon farm in February 2020):

 

 

As I wrote on Saturday (9 October 2021):

 

"Watch the video footage and judge for yourself who's acting recklessly and dangerous – last week (8 October 2021) Mowi's lawyers and Mowi Scotland's COO  Ben Hadfield accused me of acting dangerously.  For context, I'm the guy standing still on the salmon farm cage in a red life jacket holding a telescopic orange pole with a Go Pro camera attached (the equipment had been disinfected and proper biosecurity protocols followed) next to my blue kayak which was tied up safely to Mowi's farm at Ardintoul in Loch Alsh 'Special Area of Conservation'":

 

 

 

 

In May 2021, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch published a damning report on how negligence by Norwegian-owned Mowi caused the horrific death of Clive Hendry who was crushed between a workboat and feed storage unit at the Ardintoul salmon farm in Loch Alsh in February 2020. 

 

MAIB Clive Hendry accident report May 2021 report #1

 

Download the 16 page MAIB report Download MAIB Clive Hendry accident report May 2021

 

 

MAIB Clive Hendry accident report May 2021 report #3

MAIB Clive Hendry accident report May 2021 report #2

 

 

BBC News reported (26 May 2021):

 

BBC News 26 May 2021 Clive Hendry #1

BBC News 26 May 2021 Clive Hendry #2

BBC News 26 May 2021 Clive Hendry #3

BBC News 26 May 2021 Clive Hendry #4

BBC News 26 May 2021 Clive Hendry #5

 

 

 

Scottish Hazards posted on Facebook (26 May 2021):

 

MAIB blog #11

MAIB blog #12

MAIB blog #13

 

 

 

The Daily Mirror reported (26 May 2021):

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in May 2021:

 

 

MAIB Twitter photo blood hands

 

 

Mowi's legal attack may well come back to bite them. 

 

 

 

 

On Sunday (10 October 2021), a whistleblower who worked for Mowi leaked photos of welfare abuse and environmental pollution at a Mowi salmon farm.

 

 

 

The Mowi worker took the photos and video whilst working on the salmon farm and criticised the Norwegian-owned giant for "bad management" and "poorly kept conditions of fish".

 

Photo #6

 

 

The whistleblower – who was employed by Mowi when the photos/video were taken – told me that "fish farming is a disgusting industry", "oil spills were an every day thing" and that they hoped the leaked information "goes towards shutting down the salmon farming industry, which I totally agree with because it is an absolute horrible sector!"

Photo #9 gasping at surface

 

Photo #13 dead floating closer up

 

 

"With the 'swim throughs, they are constantly crowding fish and then they get scratched along the netting which descales them," explained the Mowi whistleblower.

 

Photo #10 scarred

 

Photo #12 dead floating

 

Photo #3

 

 

Mowi's PR assault demanded an immediate tactical response – and sometimes the best form of defence is attack! 

 

 

 

 

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