Press Release: "Closing the Net On 'Seal-Friendly' Scottish Salmon"

Last orders on the RSPCA's abuse of "last resort" killing of seals?

Download the press release in full as a PDF online here

Faced with a barrage of negative public disclosures on seal shootings, the Scottish salmon farming industry has finally bitten the bullet and installed anti-predator nets. Exclusive figures obtained via Freedom of Information from the Scottish Government, reveals that the use of anti-predator nets on salmon farms leapt from 13% in 2011 to 79% in 2014 [1]. At the same time the number of seals killed on salmon farms fell from 241 to 80 [2].

"This could be the final nail in the coffin of 'seal-unfriendly' Scottish salmon," said Don Staniford, Director of the Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture. "The leap in the use of anti-predator nets shows the power of Freedom of Information and public disclosure. The naming and shaming of companies killing seals has forced the industry to buy nets instead of bullets. These figures blow out of the water the industry's claim that seals are shot as a 'last resort'. Even now, one in five salmon farms are still not using anti-predator nets and the use of seal blinds has fallen to less than 18%. Seal-friendly Scottish salmon is within easy reach – it just requires trigger-happy salmon farmers to stop reaching for their guns first! This New Year we're calling last orders on the Scottish salmon farming industry's abuse of the definition of 'last resort' and the senseless slaughter of seals."

Shamefully, the RSPCA as well as other certification bodies such as the Soil Association and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council sanction the killing of seals as a 'last resort' [3]. The RSPCA brands over 70% of Scottish farmed salmon as 'welfare friendly' via the RSPCA Assured (formerly Freedom Food) scheme (read more via "RSPCA Assured seal killers!").

"The RSPCA, who certify over 70% of Scottish farmed salmon as 'welfare friendly', must now tighten the net on salmon farms who shoot seals first rather than as a 'last resort'," continued Staniford. "Bullets are clearly cheaper than anti-predator nets but companies such as Grieg have shown that seal-friendly salmon is attainable quickly and painlessly. Shamefully, Marine Harvest, Scottish Seafarms and the Scottish Salmon Company are still killing seals across Scotland during 2015 and must surely be expelled from the RSPCA Assured scheme. Until all salmon farms install anti-predator nets and seal blinds consumers should boycott all Scottish salmon."

In November, GAAIA wrote to the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (Dr. Aileen McLeod) and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment (Richard Lochhead) asking for clarification on the definition of 'last resort'. "How can the shooting of seals be deemed 'last resort' when all other options have not been tried first?" asked GAAIA [4].

In December, GAAIA wrote to Her Majesty the Queen (in her capacity as Royal Patron of the RSPCA), asking her to personally intervene to stop the slaughter of seals at salmon farms across Scotland (read letter online here).

"For around £1 million the RSPCA has sold their soul to the devil in the shape of the predominantly Norwegian-owned 'Scottish' salmon farming industry," concluded Staniford. "To rank the welfare of foreign-owned and factory farmed Atlantic salmon above wild Scottish seals is ethically and morally bankrupt. The RSPCA's certification of 'Scottish' salmon as welfare-friendly represents an abrogation of the RSPCA's guiding principles and founding values. If the RSPCA had any conscience at all about Atlantic salmon then they would not certify the factory farming of a migratory species. Cramming Atlantic salmon in cages is akin to farming Golden eagles in battery cages like intensively farmed chickens."

Watch a video report shot outside the RSPCA's head office earlier this month – online here