Tavish Scott @ScotlandSalmon said @Channel4News last night: "We'll work with @PoliceScotland in the law & through the law…..we do that absolutely in line with the law of the land" https://t.co/Sly4TVv3Dr
Yet there's no law of trespass in #Scotland! @tavishscott @salmon_scottish https://t.co/WBRe3AHb4D pic.twitter.com/BwYm31scrQ— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 22, 2021
Tavish Scott's comments on last night's Channel 4 News raise some important issues about the law which no doubt will be debated in more detail via Mowi's lawsuit during 2022.
You might get your order, I've not seen your pleadings. Whenever I've advised corporates who are planning on engaging in an asymmetric war I always point them to this page. It's a brave corporate who engages in this type of action. https://t.co/m8zM8H6hfn
— Paul Kavanagh (@BirminghamKav) October 8, 2021
Documents revealed by Corin Smith in November 2021 detail how despite complaints by salmon farming companies, Police Scotland appear powerless under the letter of the law to stop activists from filming inside salmon farms.
"Can you go to the local police station with the photos you have of the other day & explain what happened?" @salmon_scottish following filming in Arran salmon farm. @PoliceScotland "said the usual stuff, no laws been broken, no trespass laws etc so nothing they can really do" pic.twitter.com/z5nVLrAV3a
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) December 5, 2021
Documents disclosed to Scottish Salmon Watch via a Subject Access Request to Police Scotland in November 2020 also point to the lack of a legal instrument to prosecute for 'trespass' (i.e. there is no law of trespass in Scotland). In fact, the 'incident recording' disclosed to Scottish Salmon Watch cites cases where salmon farming companies or Police Scotland have failed to follow the law:
In the above case, Police Scotland warned James Lithgow for threatening behaviour following another incident in September 2020 when the boss of Landcatch's Ormsary Hatchery was warned by Police Scotland over assault.
Hendrix boss Jarl van den Berg plays it heavy like Jimmy! https://t.co/0M4VvZGbaB When filming at Landcatch's salmon hatchery at Ormsary I was assaulted by @HGSalmonUK & @policescotland issued a warning @BetterBreeding Is Jarl the son of Hendrix CEO Antoon van den Berg? pic.twitter.com/yvx3ZQ4TLw
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) September 18, 2020
The incidents in July 2019 and July 2020 prompted a complaint against Police Scotland for failing to follow the law.
Scottish Sea Farms "sent a barge around seemingly to ram us" @Ecohustler "Then they called the police" @policescotland "tormenting sentient animals is okay but snorkeling over to witness the carnage is not" @scotseafarms https://t.co/8enYytYDRV @LeroySeafood @H_S_E @MCA_media pic.twitter.com/BBV8Hnij7i
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) July 28, 2020
The Ferret reported in August 2019:
Scottish Salmon Watch reported in October 2020:
Landmark Victory for Surveillance of Salmon Farms – Police Scotland apologises for wrongly protecting @scotseafarms from public access for filming & diving https://t.co/FJN8LmAX2w @policescotland pic.twitter.com/kU4IKfmGA5
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 15, 2020
Further documents disclosed by Police Scotland in November 2020 via a 'Subject Access Request' include:
The Ferret reported in October 2020:
Police apologise to anti-fish farm campaigner over access https://t.co/sRCoXI4ylj @FerretScot @policescotland @scotseafarms @SSPOsays @Ecohustler @andrholder @ewangkennedy @HamishMacdonell @obantimes @argyllshiread "Salmon farms cannot keep the public out of public waters"
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 15, 2020
The Oban Times reported on their front page in October 2020:
Front page of today's @obantimes "Police Scotland apologises to fish farm campaigner" @policescotland @scotseafarms @Ecohustler @andrholder https://t.co/cNwnJSMYbH pic.twitter.com/Exe6LqWS9p
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 22, 2020
Later in October 2020, Scottish Salmon Wrote to Police Scotland on the increasing violence and hostility of salmon farmers over filming (over a year later Police Scotland have not replied):
So however much Tavish Scott blusters on "working with Police Scotland" and "the law of the land", the fact is that there is no law of trespass in Scotland and activists filming inside salmon farms have the law on their side (even if salmon farmers behave as if they do).
The reality is that Salmon Scotland – which includes Norwegian giants Mowi, Scottish Sea Farms and Grieg Seafood (recently bought by Leroy/SalMar-owned 'Scottish' Sea Farms) as well as the Faroese/Norwegian-owned 'Scottish' Salmon Company – have a great deal to hide and even more to lose from activists sticking Go Pro cameras inside their disease-ridden cages!
Mowi's legal action to stop "dangerous" visits to salmon farms and prevent risks to employees & animals would hold more water if @MowiScotlandLtd was not responsible for millions of dead salmon, dozens of dead seals & even a dead worker https://t.co/55xO0wiiy3 @SSPOsays pic.twitter.com/Xe18exnrM9
— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) October 8, 2021
Read more via:
- Channel 4 News on Scottish Salmon Spying on Corin Smith!
- Salmongate: Corin Smith's 'Subject Access Requests' to the Salmafia Reveal Spying by Scottish Salmon!
- The Spy Who Loved 'Scottish' Salmon – from Russia, Ukraine, Switzerland, Norway & the Faroes with Love for Salmoney!
- Corin Smith – interview with the man who is being spied upon by 'Scottish' salmon!
- Herald/Ferret: "Scottish Salmon Company chief hired investigator to 'snoop' on fish farming critic"
- STV News: "Salmon farm firm takes legal action against animal welfare campaigner"
- Letter to Police Scotland re. violence & hostility by salmon farmers blocking filming
- Oban Times: "Police apologise to fish farm welfare campaigner"
- Policing Scottish Salmon: Landmark Victory for Surveillance of Fish Farms
- Mowi's Legal Threat Over Filming
- Lithgow Baron Warned by Police for Threatening Behaviour Over Filming at Hendrix Genetics
- Hendrix Boss Plays It Heavy Like Jimmy!
- Verbal Abuse by Salmon Farming Proponent Prompts Police Scotland Warning
- Policing Scottish Salmon – Police Scotland Acting as Private Security for Scottish Sea Farms?
- "Leave Our Farms Alone" Demand Mowi. Here's What They're Hiding & Why Mowi Want the Public to Keep Away!
- Fighting Mowi's Legal Action Over Filming at Salmon Farms
- Welfare Abuse at Scottish Salmon Farms – Why No Legal Enforcement Or Prosecutions?
- Protest "Poses Serious Risk to Our Salmon" Claim Scottish Sea Farms – Who's Calling Who "Dangerous"?
- Police Scotland acted as ‘private security’ for fish farm, claims campaigner
- Police Scotland Acting as Private Security Enforcement for Norwegian-Owned Scottish Sea Farms?
Imagine you’re a lone eco campaigner, swimming out to sites in remote places early in the morning and find that your car has been been tracked! These fellows have some guts. I thought that @LibDems were supposed to stand up for freedom (it’s in the name) Comment, @tavishscott ? https://t.co/cEWZ2JolsW
— Eòghann MacUalraig (@ewangkennedy) December 22, 2021
A lot of nasty and toxic things are concealed under fish farms, not least that this industry is trying to steal our land. The seabed is held in trust for all and the public have the constitutional right to be on it for purposes including navigation and recreation./1 https://t.co/lm9p6V5Fqa
— Eòghann MacUalraig (@ewangkennedy) July 29, 2020