In the run up to Xmas, the Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture (GAAIA) is organising protests outside supermarkets in London (9 December) and outside the RSPCA's head office in Horsham, West Sussex (10 December) – details online here. Please join us and share on Facebook!
Yesterday (30 November), GAAIA wrote to retailers across the UK asking the simple question:
Will you pledge publicly to stop sourcing farmed salmon from seal-killing salmon farms?
"Put simply, retailers do not need to source Scottish salmon from seal-unfriendly farms," stated the letter. "Nor do the public want to buy Scottish salmon sourced from such lethal farms. An opinion poll by Metro in October 2015 reported that 87% of people are opposed to the killing of seals on salmon farms."
Read letter to retailers online here
"I am pleased to support those campaigning for an end to seal deaths," said Alison Johnstone, Member of the Scottish Parliament, who joined a protest outside M&S in Edinburgh in October 2015. "People buying farmed salmon in Scotland will be appalled to learn that there is no requirement on salmon producers to have nets to deter seals. If those making vast profits from salmon sales aren’t prepared to invest in this preventative measure, they cannot claim that shooting a seal is a last resort. It is a lazy, greedy response that contradicts the image the producers and our supermarkets seek to promote and it has to stop."
[Protestors including Alison Johnstone MSP handing out leaflets outside M&S in Edinburgh: photo by Colin McPherson – download high res image online here]
Will retailers give seals are early Christmas present by pledging to introduce a cease-fire on salmon farms?
For more information please read GAAIA's "The Killing Farms"
Download High Res images via:
"Did a seal die for your salmon meal?"
"Farmed salmon: sealed with a kiss of death"
"Stop shooting seals for salmon meals"
"RSPCA as the Royal $eal Culling Association"
"Salmon farming: licensed to kill"
"Salmon farming is the smoking gun"
Read more via:
"Scottish Salmon Blinded by Seal Killing" (29 November 2015)
"Seal killing slips through the net" (29 November 2015)
"RSPCA Assured Seal Killers!" (23 November 2015)
"M&S Caught in Cross-Fire Over Seal-Killing on Scottish Salmon Farms" (2 November 2015)
"Stop shooting seals for salmon meals – protest outside M&S in Edinburgh" (30 October 2015)
"Shetland Times: "Steps taken to reduce number of seals killed"" (25 October)
"Stop shooting seals for salmon meals!" (22 October 2015)
"RSPCA upsets people by saying seal shooting is OK" (11 October 2015)
"Did a seal die for your salmon meal?" (9 October 2015)
"RSPCA attacked for its policy on seal shooting" (9 October 2015)
"RSPCA: Seals should be shot as an 'absolute last resort' to protect salmon" (9 October 2015)
"Seal Protection Action Group: Dependent seal pups are left to starve if their mothers are shot" (9 October 2015)
"Salmon farmers under fire for shooting seals" (8 October 2015)
"Seals in Shetland are getting into deep water with the salmon industry" (8 October 2015)
"Fury over seals shot dead at M&S salmon farms: Humane 'predator-proof' nets can be installed but are expensive" (5 September 2015)
"Shetland fish farms top seal shooting list" (3 September 2015)
"Mapped: every Scottish salmon farm that shot seals" (2 September 2015)
"UK retailers may face ‘zombie seal’ protests over farmed salmon" (2 September 2015)
"Marks & Spencer faces threat of 'zombie seal' protests over links to salmon farm with worst culling record" (1 September 2015)
"Anti-fish farm campaigners propose boycott to defend seals" (1 September 2015)
"M&S salmon supplier comes off worst as Scottish gov’t names seal shooting farmers" (31 August 2015)
"Seal shooting figures released after campaign by animal rights activists" (30 August 2015)
"Figures reveal salmon farms that shoot seals" (30 August 2015)
"Named and shamed: the Scottish salmon farms shooting seals" (30 August 2015)
"Data reveals third of Scots fish farms have shot seals" (30 August 2015)
"Cecil the Seal Killers Named & Shamed in Scotland – Call for Boycott of "Seal Unfriendly" Scottish Salmon" (30 August 2015)
"Media Splash for Seal-Killing Salmon Farms!" (8 July 2015)
"VICTORY: Disclosure of Seal-Killing Salmon Farm Data Ordered by 21 August" (7 July 2015)
"Landmark Rulings on Seal-Killing Salmon Farms – Scottish Information Commissioner to publish decisions this afternoon" (7 July 2015)
"D Day for Seal-Killing Salmon Farms" (6 July 2015)
"Mass seal slaughter as RSPCA opts to protect fish farms" (13 April 2015)
"Scottish Salmon's Secret Seal Killers! – FOI refusal prompts call for boycott of farmed salmon" (24 August 2014)