New Veterinary Science Papers Turn Up Heat on the Thermolicer

Two new scientific papers published in the December 2019 issue of Veterinary & Animal Science have turned up the heat on the Thermolicer (a heated washing machine – a torture chamber – to clean lice-infested farmed salmon).

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Scottish Salmon Watch filmed earlier this month at a Scottish Salmon Company salmon farm off Portree using a Thermolicer aboard the Simon Princess:

Scottish Salmon Watch today (13 November 2019) wrote to Scottish Ministers reiterating the call to ban Thermolicers from operating on salmon farms in Scotland:

Scottish Salmon Watch concluded:

Last month, Scottish Salmon Watch published shocking video footage of welfare abuse by a Thermolicer at Mowi's salmon farm in Loch Leven.

Here's farmed salmon being sucked and forced up a pipe into the Thermolicer.

And here's video footage of farmed salmon which died before making the tortuous trip into the Thermolicer.

Last year, Scottish Salmon Watch called for a ban on Thermolicers and other water torture chambers for farmed salmon.

The press release continued:

Today (9 September), Scottish Salmon Watch wrote to Scottish Ministers reiterating their call for a ban and asking the Scottish Government to investigate whether salmon farms across Scotland were in breach of Section 19 ("Unnecessary Suffering"); Section 21 ("Cruel Operations") and Section 24 ("Ensuring Welfare of Animals") of the Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

Scottish Salmon Watch's letter to Scottish Ministers cites the latest mortality data on Scottish salmon farms published by the Scottish Government which lists dozens of cases involving the Thermolicer, Hydrolicer and other mechanical treatments – including:

"Thermolicer treatment started on 24th June for 4 days. Fish with bleeding gills, "collision damage" and heart damage" (Mowi's Craig an Tsagairt salmon farm in Loch Hourn in July 2019)

"Biomarkers showed muscle fatigue, but a physical treatment for sea lice was required causing the increase in mortalities" (The Scottish Salmon Company's salmon farm at Taranaish in Loch Roag in June 2018)

"Thermolicer treatment on one cage. Decided not to treat other cages with Thermolicer" (Mowi's salmon farm at Caolas A Deas in Loch Shell in November 2017)

"Losses following Thermolicer treatment. Thought to be fish weakened by HSMI" (Scottish Sea Farms' salmon farm at Nevis A in Loch Nevis in April 2017)

"Post Hydrolicer treatment, fish with compromised health did not survive the treatment well – mechanical damage" (The Scottish Salmon Company's salmon farm at Quarry Point in Loch Fyne in March 2017)

Here's mortality event reports where physical treatments such as a Thermolicer and Hydrolicer are cited:

'Case Information' published by the Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate also cites welfare problems and mortalities due to the Thermolicer and Hydrolicer. For example, here's a case report in June 2019 for Mowi's Bagh Dail Nan Cean (Bay of the Dead Heads) salmon farm:

Video footage of mortalities at Mowi's 'Bay of the Dead Heads' salmon farm in Scotland was posted in September 2019 by diver David Ainsley:

Another case report in June 2019 for Mowi's Port Na Cro salmon farm cited "obvious mechanical damage from the Thermolicer treatment":

Here's photos from a Fish Health Inspectorate visit to The Scottish Salmon Company's salmon farm at Portree in February 2019 – including "visible damage to the heads of fish", skeletal muscle necrosis, dermatitis, lesions "likely associated with mechanical damage", anorexia, bilateral exopthalmia, petechial haemorrhaging, salmon gill poxvirus, Neoparamoeba perurans (the causative agent of Amoebic Gill Disease), Paranculeospora theridon, Vibrio spp, Photobacterium sp and Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis virus:

Photos of a Scottish Government Fish Health Inspectorate visit in March 2019 to the North Papa salmon farm operated by Norwegian-owned Grieg Seafood reveal physical damage "attributed to a recent Optilicer treatment".

Here's video footage from Salmon & Trout Conservation Scotland of a Hydrolicer in operation on a Scottish salmon farm.

Another Grieg Seafood salmon farm in Shetland at Gob na Hoe reported over 3,000 mortalities due to an Optilicer treatment in March 2019.

Here's the FHI 'Case Information' detailing "physical damage to heads and tails" and "severe lesions":

In March 2019, another FHI 'Case Information' report for March 2019 details welfare problems and over 10,000 mortalities due to the operation of a Thermolicer at the Norwegian-owned Scottish Sea Farms site at Teisti Geo in Shetland.