Press Statement: Ban All Ova Imports to Protect ‘Scottish’ Salmon!

 

 

"The Scottish Government must immediately stop all imports of salmon eggs (ova) to prevent the spread of deadly Infectious Salmon Anaemia," cautioned Don Staniford, Director of Scottish Salmon Watch.  "If the Covid-19 crisis has taught us nothing else it is the need to close borders and introduce quarantine measures to stop the spread of diseases, viruses and pathogens.  Importing ova from countries with disease risks such as Norway and Iceland is a recipe for ruin.   How on earth is 'Scottish' salmon farming still permitted to import tens of millions of potentially virus-laden ova without any testing for Infectious Salmon Anaemia, Piscine Reovirus and other infectious agents?"

 

IMG_2089

 

 

 

 

 

Intrafish reported (26 November 2021):

 

Iceland ISA #2

 

 

 

 

 

Data published by the Scottish Government in September 2021 via the 'Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2020' detailed imports of ova from Iceland flooding 'Scottish' salmon farms following the ban on ova imports from Norway due to ISA risks in 2019:

 

Iceland ova

 

 

 

In July 2021, I Tweeted: "Replacing imports of salmon eggs from Norway (where Infectious Salmon Anaemia is ravaging farms) with imports from Iceland (fingered in the spread of Piscine reovirus to USA) is like leaping out of the frying pan into the fire!"

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in July 2021:

 

A Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure by the Scottish Government published online in April 2021 reveals that 'Scottish' salmon is now sourced predominantly from imported ova (eggs) from Iceland and Ireland substituting Norway (due to ongoing risks of the spread of Infectious Salmon Anaemia). 

 

SG March 2021 FOI #1

 

 

Here's all the ova imports since July 2020 (as disclosed by the Scottish Government via FOI in March 2021):

 

Iceland ova imports 2020 via FOI

 

 

Iceland ova imports 2021 via FOI

 

 

A further FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government in August 2021 revealed further ova imports from Iceland and Ireland after February 2021 (although the data does not provide information on the import consignor as with previous FOI disclosures):

 

Iceland ova imports post March 2021 via FOI

 

And another FOI disclousre by the Scottish Government in August 2020 detailed ova imports from January to July 2020:

 

Iceland ova imports 2020 via FOI #2

Iceland ova imports 2020 via FOI #3

 

 

 

Another FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government in February 2020 detailed ova imports during 2019:

 

Iceland ova imports 2019 #3

 

Iceland ova imports 2019 #1 Iceland ova imports 2019 #2

 

The FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government in February 2020 detailed ova imports in 2018:

 

Iceland ova imports 2018 #1

Iceland ova imports 2018 #2

 

Iceland ova imports 2018 #3

 

 

A FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government in July 2018 detailing ova imports in 2017 was originally redacted as it was deemed 'commercially damaging':

 

Iceland ova imports 2017 redacted

 

 

However, following a FOI victory with a ruling by the Scottish Information Commissioner, ova import data for 2017 was finally disclosed in full in December 2019:

 

Iceland ova imports 2017 #1 Iceland ova imports 2017 #2

 

Ova import data for 2016 was disclosed via FOI by the Scottish Government in February 2020:

 

Iceland ova imports 2016 #1 Iceland ova imports 2016 #2

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch asked in May 2021:

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch wrote to Scottish Ministers in August 2021 following a report of ISA at Scottish Sea Farms in Loch Spelve:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Freedom of Information reply from the Scottish Government earlier this month (2 April 2020) revealed an abject lack of testing of viruses, pathogens and infectious diseases. 

 

 

FOI reply 2 April 2020 #1

FOI reply 2 April 2020 #2

 

 

In February 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch wrote to Scottish Ministers with respect to bio-security protocols and safety precautions of imported ova. 

 

 

 

 

In February 2020, Scottish Salmon Watch and The Ferret revealed that imports of salmon eggs (ova) from Norway were banned in May 2019 following fears of the spread of Infectious Salmon Anaemia with Iceland replacing Norway as the primary source of 'Scottish' salmon. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vertical transmission of PRV via infected ova has been reported from Iceland to the United States.  The Seattle Times reported in May 2018:

 

PRV #5

PRV #6

 

 

The Seattle Times reported in December 2018:

 

PRV #3 PRV #4

 

 

Salmon Business reported in December 2018:

 

PRV #7

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch warned in a press release published in August 2020:

 

PRV #8

 

 

The press release (25 August 2020) included:

 

PRV #9

 

 

 

 

 

Back in April 2019, Scottish Salmon Watch called for a ban on imports of ova from Norway and Iceland!

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

ISA in Iceland – will Scotland ban ova imports to prevent disease risks as with Norway?

Breaking News: ISA reported at RSPCA Assured Scottish Sea Farms on the Isle of Mull

Letter to Scottish Ministers re. ISA in Scottish Salmon

Media Backgrounder: Scottish Salmon’s Recurring ISA Nightmare

Media Backgrounder: Norway’s Infectious Salmon Aquacalypse – Going Global Since 1984!

Eggsclusive: FOI Reveals 'Scottish' Salmon Imported As Ova from Iceland & Ireland – Norway eggs-pelled due to disease risks!

Massive Attack on "Rotten Edifice" of 'Scottish' Salmon

Norwegian Salmon Ova Slip Back Into Scotland (as Infectious Salmon Anaemia plagues salmon farms in Norway)

Norway's Infectious Salmon "Horror Show" Secretly Playing Now In Scotland?

EFTA disclose documents on disease-ridden Norwegian salmon farming but refuse more citing commercial confidentiality

'Scottish' salmon resumes imports of "ISA-free" eggs from Norway?

Undercurrent News: "Iceland replaces Norway as main source of Scottish salmon eggs following import ban"

Letter to Scottish Ministers: "Bio-security Protocols & Safety Precautions re. Ova Imports"

The Ferret: "Imports of Norwegian salmon eggs banned over deadly virus"

Norwegian Salmon Egg Exports Banned Due to Disease Risks

Game Ova for Scottish Salmon – Deadly disease delays egg imports from AquaGen in Norway

Deadly virus outbreak prompted fears over import of fish farm eggs to Scotland

Mail On Sunday: "90% of Scottish salmon 'ISN'T' from Scotland' – 66m eggs shipped in from abroad"

Salmon Eggsclusive: Scotland's 'King of Fish' is Now Viking Not Scottish!

Easter Egg Ban for 'Scottish' Salmon?

The Ferret: "Deadly virus outbreak prompted fears over import of fish farm eggs to Scotland"

Game Ova for Scottish Salmon – Deadly disease delays egg imports from AquaGen in Norway

Virus-Laden Farmed Salmon

Concerns raised over Scottish salmon roe imports

'Secret' Scottish Salmon – Norwegian-owned Scottish Sea Farms refuse to disclose information for ova imports as it would "cause substantial harm to their commercial interests"

Government 'failing to protect Scottish salmon'

Complete Mockery of the Brand 'Scottish Salmon': Norway bans import of Scottish salmon eggs citing disease risks & genetic impacts under the Nature Diversity Act

Imported eggs ruling 'makes a mockery of Scottish salmon'

Norway keeps ban on import of Scottish roe

Tartan imposters’ charge as fish egg imports hit 90%

Invasion of the Viking salmon

Fish farms are ‘wiping out Scotland’s wild salmon’

Escaped farmed salmon impacts

'Norwegian' genes found in wild salmon populations in Wester Ross

 

 

 

 

 

 

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