Is it enough to turn down the volume of ADDs on salmon farms to comply with the US Marine Mammal Protection Act? @SSPOsays @SealifeA @OTAQ2 @aceaquatec @_SMRU_ @NOAA @marinescotland
How low do you go to comply with European law on disturbance of cetaceans? @nature_scot @JNCC_UK pic.twitter.com/WB6kYMrPKE— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 23, 2021
On Saturday evening (20 February 2021), the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation issued a surprising press release:
Does this mean the use of ADDs by salmon farms is illegal? @SealifeA @marinescotland @nature_scot @OTAQ2 @aceaquatec @FergusEwingSNP @markruskell @TheSoundOfJura @ewangkennedy @FerretScot @scotseafarms @ScotlandMowi @strathearnrose https://t.co/Axm3tFTevg
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 20, 2021
Did lawyers finally have the bottle to affirm to @GreenerScotland @NicolaSturgeon @strathearnrose that ADD use was illegal? https://t.co/jvVxtOvxMr
Did @SSPOsays see the writing on the wall? @OTAQ2 @aceaquatec @nature_scot @SealifeA @whalesorg @HWDT_org @tex_sim @chazz_findlay https://t.co/0Tunz9ZRqy pic.twitter.com/ObrkjxRrwK— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 21, 2021
On 1 March 2021, the SSPO issued another press release:
Including:
So which ADDs are considered MMPA compliant? @aceaquatec @OTAQ2 @nature_scot @chazz_findlay @TheSoundOfJura @SealifeA @NOAA @HWDT_org @markruskell @ConcernMarine @JNCC_UK @strathearnrose @scotseafarms @ScotlandMowi @salmon_scottish https://t.co/746h88vkmC
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 1, 2021
Next generation Acoustic Deterrent Devices still too noisy for cetaceans? @aceaquatec @SSPOsays https://t.co/iabrHGwax2@OTAQ2 @nature_scot @NOAA @SealifeA @chazz_findlay @HWDT_org @dolmansarahj @whalesorg @TheSoundOfJura @ewangkennedy @marinescotland @strathearnrose @scotgp
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 1, 2021
Ace Aquatec claimed in Fish Farmer magazine to be "MMPA compliant" (1 March 2021).
Scotland’s salmon farmers are no longer using acoustic deterrent devices that may have been considered to cause disturbance to European Protected Species @salmonfarming1 @SSPOsays @aceaquatec https://t.co/cg6hChTfJW@nature_scot @SealifeA @whalesorg @dolmansarahj @HWDT_org
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 1, 2021
In August 2020, NOAA issued a 'proposed rule':
Ace Aquatec claims to "have secured MMPA compliance" for their ADDs – where is NOAA's official notification? https://t.co/vLSO4hiEQF @aceaquatec @SSPOsays @OTAQ2
NOAA's 'proposed rule' is "not yet final"!@NOAA @NOAAOceanToday @NOAAComms @marinescotland @nature_scot @SealifeA pic.twitter.com/leB144zooE— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 1, 2021
NOAA explained in an email to Scottish Salmon Watch (1 March 2021):
NOAA: "I don't know what you mean by 'MMPA compliant'. If you are referring to whether certain ADDs are included in the PROPOSED guidelines for deterring marine mammals, that information is available on our website in the proposed rule….Again, the proposal is not yet final" pic.twitter.com/tZuYWuA6Do
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) March 1, 2021
The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation stated in June 2020:
Here's a statement (undated) on ADDs from the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation:
In July 2020, the SSPO issued announced a review of ADD use on salmon farms:
Fish Farmer magazine reported in March 2020:
The web-page of GenusWave claimed in June 2020:
The above web-page no longer exists (as of 22 February 2021):
GenusWave still claim on their new web-site that it is "MMPA compliant":
The Times reported in 2013 that salmon farmers in Scotland had baulked at the cost of trialling GenusWave:
In 2013, The Times reported that @ScotlandMowi (a company controlled by billionaire John Fredriksen – worth $10.4 billion) "cannot afford £5,000 a month" to trial GenusWave (a low frequency ADD) @thetimes https://t.co/vLSO4hAfId@OTAQ2 @aceaquatec @SSPOsays @HamishMacdonell pic.twitter.com/HNEXGGp0q7
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 23, 2021
According to documents filed at Companies House, GenusWave is owned by the American investor Steven Alveny (95% shares) and German university reader Vincent Janik of the University of St. Andrews (5% shares):
Vincent Janik is a professor at the University of St. Andrews and Director of the Scottish Oceans Institute whilst Steven Alveny is listed via LinkedIn as Managing Director at Bankers Capital.
Here's the latest list of shareholders for Genuswave (as published via Companies House in 2016):
The University of St. Andrews web-site states:
Fish Farmer reported in April 2020:
Scottish Salmon Watch reported in June 2020:
The Scottish Government is always listening intently & watching closely when it comes to concerns raised about the killing of seals and use of Acoustic Deterrent Devices https://t.co/6oL8F8T0VE @FergusEwingMSP @marinescotland @nature_scot @aceaquatec @OTAQ2 @MowiScotlandLtd pic.twitter.com/jbZMIiIPys
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) June 17, 2020
Scottish Salmon Watch's press release in June 2020 cited:
Documents disclosed by the Scottish Government via FOI in October 2020 reveal that the majority shareholder of GenusWave met with the Scottish Government in October and December 2019 (although his name was mis-spelled Alvey not Alevy).
The FOI disclosure by the Scottish Government in October 2020 also included an undated letter from the US Government to the Scottish Government which referred to ADDs:
The undated letter from the US Government was in response to this letter from the Scottish Government dated 7 January 2020:
Including:
Read the letter in full and other documents disclosed via FOI by the Scottish Government in October 2020 online here
Is the use of Acoustic Deterrent Devices (ADDs) by Scottish salmon farms dead in the water? https://t.co/vLSO4hiEQF@NOAA @NOAAOceanToday @NOAAComms @marinescotland @SSPOsays @OTAQ2 @aceaquatec @_SMRU_ @HWDT_org @whalesorg @SealifeA @TheSoundOfJura @chazz_findlay @SAMSoceannews pic.twitter.com/7egDwv78vA
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 25, 2021
The Oban Times reported earlier this week (22 February 2021) that the pressure is building to turn ADDs off completely:
Marine Scotland say disturbance, the offence under Scots law, occurs above 120 decibels, Kok (2017) recorded disturbance at 100 dB, Brandt at 113dB @marinescotland @nature_scot @NOAA @SSPOsays @Feorlean @JohnFinnieHI @markruskell
Replying to @TheGAAIA @SSPOsays and 17 others— Sealife-Adventures (@SealifeA) February 23, 2021
Genuswave outputs 182 decibels: Gotz (2020) recorded 'startle reflex' in a dolphin at 146 dB. Current commercial ADDs output 179dB (Terecos) to 196 dB (OTAQ Seal Fence) @ourseas_scot @Seasaver @Bluemarinef @claudiabeamish @1edmountain Replying to @TheGAAIA @SSPOsays and 19 others
— Sealife-Adventures (@SealifeA) February 23, 2021
Read more via:
- Sunday Times: "Animal welfare campaigners sound out ban on acoustic seal deterrent"
- Mail On Sunday: "Salmon farmers are 'torturing' porpoises and dolphins with high-pitched noises to protect their stock, campaigners warn"
- Unlicensed use of ADDs in aquaculture is contrary to European Protected Species legislation & completely immoral!
- Daily Record: "Whales and dolphins being 'tortured' by anti-seal scare devices at Scottish fish farms"
- The Guardian: "Scottish salmon farmers to be banned from shooting seals"
- Caught Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea
- The Ferret: "Seal scarers used by fish farms branded 'sonic torture'"
- GenusWave 'Targeted Acoustic Startle Technology' – in compliance with the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act??
- Seal shooting at salmon farms doubles before ban
- Ban on seal shooting must be watertight
- Greens want ban on seal scarers
- BBC Countryfile on ADDs impacting on cetaceans
- Sounding Off On Salmon Farms – Acoustic Deterrent Devices evade Marine Noise Registry
- SARF report 112: "Influences of lower-frequency Acoustic Deterrent Devices (ADDs) on cetaceans in Scottish coastal waters"
- The Times: "Noisy fish farms ‘harm other marine life’"
- Mapping widespread and increasing underwater noise pollution from acoustic deterrent devices
- Sounding Off About Scotland's Noisy Salmon Farms – Turn Off Acoustic Deterrent Devices to Protect Cetaceans
- Deafening Impact of Salmon Farms on Cetaceans
- The National: "Warning salmon farm devices could hit wildlife tourism"
- Cetaceans Sound Alarm On Salmon Farms – new research sparks EC complaint & call to ban Acoustic Deterrent Devices
- Sunday Herald: "Health of whales, dolphins and porpoises put at risk by underwater alarms"
- Noisy Salmon Farms – Switch Off Acoustic Deterrent Devices Now!
"If you use the right nets, you don’t have to use ADDs" said David Ainsley @SealifeA "Now is the time to say to Marine Scotland they must enforce the law" @marinescotland https://t.co/afvN51r4QS@OTAQ2 @aceaquatec @nature_scot @SSPOsays @strathearnrose @GreenerScotland pic.twitter.com/C5J6Cm90bO
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) February 22, 2021
What a joke, @theSNP are about to give them free rein to use acoustic deterrents. How about using thicker nets instead? https://t.co/F6ms1lBoE5
— Mark Ruskell MSP (@markruskell) February 20, 2021
Addendum:
