Photos Expose Ongoing Welfare Abuse at RSPCA Assured Salmon Farms!

EXPOSED: Photos of diseased salmon taken by @scotgov health inspectors at visits to farms – how can such abuse be marketed as "responsible" & 'welfare-friendly'? @rspcaassured @ScotlandSalmon @SoilAssociation @SoilAssocScot @ASC_aqua @scotgp @ciwf @onekindtweet @Animallawyersuk pic.twitter.com/NEFMuk504z

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 28, 2022

'The camera never lies', so the saying goes. This is especially pertinent in the context of 'Scottish' salmon farming whose lawyers fought to prevent damning photos being published arguing that disclosure would cause 'reputational damage'. Thankfully, in 2018 the Scottish Government rejected pleas by Mowi, The Scottish Salmon Company (renamed Bakkafrost Scotland in June 2022) and Scottish Sea Farms who railed against the "irresponsible use of photos" which they argued could cause "unnecessary confusion" in the mind of consumers (i.e. if people knew the truth then they would stop buying Scottish salmon).

In 2018, lawyers representing fish farms tried to stop publication of photos @rspcaassured salmon arguing disclosure would cause "reputational damage" @scotseafarms @MowiScotlandLtd @ScotlandSalmon @Folketrygdfond @LeroySeafood
Thankfully @scotgov told the $almafia to fish off! pic.twitter.com/e1Lj7mIcNb

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 28, 2022

A Freedom of Information ruling by the Scottish Government in October 2019 opened the floodgates to gruesome photos of welfare abuse and disease inside salmon farms being published by the Fish Health Inspectorate (note that ca. 70% of salmon farming production in Scotland is certified as 'welfare-friendly' via RSPCA Assured with all salmon farming companies in Scotland except Organic Sea Harvest signed up to the RSPCA Assured scheme which rakes in over £500,000 per year for the RSPCA; ca. 15% certified as "farmed responsibly" via the Aquaculture Stewardship Council and ca. 5% certified as 'organic' via the Soil Association).

The Scottish Government's Fish Health Inspectorate now routinely publishes 'Case Information' – including photos of diseased Scottish salmon – online here (note that not every site inspection includes photos and publication may take up to six months after the inspection):

Here's photos of disease-ridden farmed salmon from RSPCA Assured Bakkafrost Scotland (called The Scottish Salmon Company until June 2022) in Loch Roag at Taranaish – sourced from a Scottish Government inspection conducted in December 2021 (the Fish Health Inspectorate reported salmon gill poxvirus, epitheliocystis, Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis, and Neoparamoeba perurans, the causative agent of Amoebic Gill Disease):

Here's photos of disease-ridden farmed salmon from Hendrix/Landcatch's Ormsary Broodstock Unit – sourced from a Fish Health Inspectorate visit conducted in November 2021 (a positive case of Infectious Salmon Anaemia was reported along with Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis, epitheliocystis and amoebic gill disease):

Photos of Landcatch's disease-ridden salmon farm at Ormsary – post mortem inspection reported proliferative branchitis, Amoebic Gill Disease, epitheliocystis, Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis virus & Infectious Salmon Anaemia virus @HGSalmonUK @BetterBreeding @ScotlandSalmon #ISA pic.twitter.com/rIB7Nkh1l0

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 28, 2022

Infectious Salmon Anaemia Reported at Landcatch’s Ormsary Hatchery in November – was ISA imported via infected salmon eggs (ova) from Iceland? @WeAreBenchmark @HGSalmonUK @BetterBreeding @marinescotland @ScotlandSalmon @obantimes @argyllshiread @salmon_scottish @LochDuartSalmon pic.twitter.com/dh5CD9J5tg

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 10, 2022

Hendrix/Landcatch supplies 'organic' salmon for Organic Sea Harvest and also supplies smolts to Loch Duart, Scottish Sea Farms and Bakkafrost Scotland (The Scottish Salmon Company) via eggs imported from Iceland, Ireland and Norway.

Anyone for disease-ridden Scottish salmon fresh from Landcatch marinaded in antibiotic & cancer-causing Formalin? https://t.co/rSvO6Hz6V7 @HGSalmonUK @salmon_scottish New 'Case Information' published today @marinescotland The horror of #Scottish #Salmon @ciwf @PETAUK @APHAgovuk pic.twitter.com/NWDVRGdb4Y

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 6, 2020

Here's photos of disease-ridden farmed salmon from RSPCA Assured Loch Duart in the Sound of Harris – sourced from a Scottish Government inspection conducted in October 2021 (the Fish Health Inspectorate reported positive tests for Salmon Gill Poxvirus, proliferative gill pathology, evidence of amoebic gill disease and epitheliocystis):

Mmm – yummy looking "unrivalled" Scottish salmon "With a natural as possible diet & space to swim, each fish grows fitter & healthier every day" claims @LochDuartSalmon https://t.co/OxXxkqxHPh
Err…except unhealthy fish from farms with mortality rates over 25%! @ScotlandSalmon pic.twitter.com/f50gytF6TQ

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 28, 2022

Here's photos of disease-ridden farmed rainbow trout from Kames Hatchery in Kilmelford from a Scottish Government inspection conducted in October 2021:

Last month (23 August 2022), $camon $cotland exposed how Mowi's Greanem (Grey Horse Outer) salmon farm – certified as "responsibly sourced" via RSPCA Assured and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council – reported a cumulative mortality rate of 56%.

How can 56% mortality (i.e. over half the fish dying) be marketed as "responsibly farmed" & "responsibly sourced" @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua @Tesco @sainsburys @MowiScotlandLtd ? https://t.co/PuckNO9qq9 @ASA_UK @ClientEarth @SSC_seafood @LidlGB @AldiUK @ScotlandSalmon #Greenwash pic.twitter.com/h9bILNMmWR

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 23, 2022

An inspection report published by the Scottish Government earlier this year (relating to an inspection in October 2021) included photos of disease-ridden fish at Mowi's Greanem (Grey Horse Outer) salmon farm:

$camon $cotland reported last month (24 August 2022):

Photo Exclusive: here's why @MowiScotlandLtd want activists to stay away from their disease-ridden feedlots. Shame on @rspcaassured @ASC_aqua @sainsburys @Tesco @LidlGB @AldiUK @ScotlandSalmon for promoting Mowi's Scottish salmon as "responsibly sourced"! https://t.co/P09o4N3rzy pic.twitter.com/nJQYLFQavy

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 24, 2022

The Fish Health Inspectorate report for Mowi's RSPCA Assured Linnhe salmon farm included photos (which Scottish Salmon Watch forced the Scottish Government to publish via Freedom of Information despite objections from Mowi, Scottish Sea Farms and The Scottish Salmon Company):

Mowi: "the risk of people turning away from a healthy food such as salmon as a reaction to irresponsible use of photos for the sole purpose of creating fear in the consumer, is a risk to public health" https://t.co/u9Fk2kOkxz @MowiScotlandLtd @marinescotland @FergusEwingMSP pic.twitter.com/M3AyD3jMTm

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 24, 2019

$camon $cotland reported last month (23 August 2022):

Organic Scamon: here's what Cooke Aquaculture's salmon from Westray on Orkney look like (as inspected by @marinescotland in May) @The_Orcadian @bbcorkney @OrkneyCouncil
Why does the @SoilAssociation certify salmon farms as 'organic'? @SoilAssocScot @CookeScotland @cookeseafood pic.twitter.com/7FTcnt01zG

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 24, 2022

In what warped world can these fish be truly marketed as "responsibly farmed" and "responsibly sourced"?

Crook err I mean Cooke claim "various campaigners promote false information about the UK’s number one food export, farm-raised Scottish salmon" https://t.co/2YYUT4dw23
You mean this 'Case Information' @marinescotland showing welfare abuse at 'organic' @CookeScotland off Westray? pic.twitter.com/DDetOlvTiN

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 9, 2022

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in January 2022:

Fresh Scottish Salmon anyone? Here's freshly published photos of disease-ridden fish farmed @salmon_scottish off Skye & the Isle of Gigha @marinescotland
Please boycott Scottish salmon! @Folketrygdfond @waitrose @coopuk @coopukpress @ScotlandSalmon https://t.co/WK0SjATflz pic.twitter.com/MIBNEityBk

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 12, 2022

Scottish Salmon never tasted good – but you wouldn't serve these poor creatures @salmon_scottish to your cat! These photos published @scotgov show why people should boycott @ScotlandSalmon! @waitrose @coopuk @asda @Morrisons @Tesco @sainsburys @AldiUK @LidlGB @marksandspencer pic.twitter.com/PtmKBgjuPi

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 12, 2022

In August 2021, the Scottish Government published photos of farmed salmon infected with Infectious Salmon Anaemia virus and other disease problems at an RSPCA certified salmon farm operated by Scottish Sea Farms in Loch Spelve:

Infectious Salmon Anaemia comes back to haunt Scottish salmon – positive test reported by @marinescotland @rspcaassured @scotseafarms on Isle of Mull. Buy your fresh virus-laden Scottish salmon @marksandspencer – how many more farms are infected? @MowiScotlandLtd @salmon_scottish pic.twitter.com/JUjMS335xa

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) August 30, 2021

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in November 2020:

Photos slipped out last month @marinescotland provide yet more damning evidence of welfare abuse on salmon farms – please boycott Scottish salmon! https://t.co/bp2h3Rylag @salmon_scottish @Try_Lochlander @Folketrygdfond @GreenerScotland @scotgp @coopuk @rspcaassured @SSPCA_Mike pic.twitter.com/Sngg29WYTp

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) November 4, 2020

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in May 2020:

RSPCA Assured Mowi Plagued by Mass Mortalities & Infectious Diseases https://t.co/vxZTjE37qA Boycott disease-ridden Scottish salmon treated with antibiotics @MowiScotlandLtd @rspcaassured @sainsburys @LidlGB @AldiUK Enteric Redmouth Disease (Yersiniosis) is like the Black Death! pic.twitter.com/Rry8Y5vFvq

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) May 27, 2020

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in April 2020:

Be Sure to Boycott RSPCA Assured Scottish Salmon! https://t.co/61yIroIUBp Shocking new photos published of Mowi's disease-ridden North Shore feedlot in Loch Erisort @marinescotland @MowiScotlandLtd "visibly moribund fish" & "significant lice damage" @sainsburys @rspcaassured pic.twitter.com/gjLaeqpcFz

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 7, 2020

Scottish Salmon Watch published a dossier of photos – sourced from Scottish Government inspections forced out via Freedom of Information – in February 2020:

Edie Bowles @Animallawyersuk said the dossier, compiled by Don Staniford, a critic of salmon farming, indicated “systemic and obvious” pain & suffering that could justify legal action against @scotgov @MairiGougeon @SSPOsays https://t.co/ZuzAis8gEr @SundayTimesScot @ciwf @scotgp pic.twitter.com/RPVIAL3KlS

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 2, 2020

In January 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch published photos of welfare abuse in cleaner fish and in farmed salmon taken by Scottish Government inspectors at Mowi's Ardintoul salmon farm in Loch Alsh:

First official photos of lumpfish on salmon farms published by @marinescotland Infected with Aeromonas salmonicida (Furunculosis), Vibrio & Shewanella @MowiScotlandLtd https://t.co/qr0tO3BMVR 17,000 dead leading to treatment with antibiotic (Aquatet/Oxytetracycline) @APHAgovuk pic.twitter.com/nYXDBnWfkx

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 27, 2020

Moribund Mowi: "At the time of the visit moribund fish & some floating mortalities were observed in all cages" @marinescotland https://t.co/qr0tO3BMVR 73,459 morts (3,221 due to concussions from increased Caligus burdens), Salmon Gill Poxvirus, AGD & Anaemia @MowiScotlandLtd pic.twitter.com/GulKfO5p5z

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) January 27, 2020

Here's photos leaked by a whistleblower in 2018 working for The Scottish Salmon Company at their facility at Toward near Dunoon in Argyll (the whistleblower was sick to the stomach at their poor welfare and hygiene standards):

In November 2018, a whistleblower leaked photos of flayed alive salmon farmed by Mowi in Kilbrannan Sound:

A snapshot into 'Waste Management' in Scottish salmon farming (where ca. 15 million fish die each year at a mortality rate of 20-25%) https://t.co/hyztwncvhO https://t.co/FZq0diz5Ei Including 300,000 skinned alive at Mowi's salmon farm at Carradale in Kilbrannan Sound pic.twitter.com/Hur4VyxVLy

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) June 12, 2020