Warning: Neonicotinoid Imidacloprid Use in Salmon Farming “Clears Another Hurdle” With European MRL

 

 

The neonicotinoid Imidacloprid (hidden by Norwegian-owned Benchmark behind the code-name BMK08 – formerly Ectosan) is expected to win market authorisation in Norway "soon" with Scotland and Chile next on the hit list for the toxic chemical which was banned for use in terrestrial agriculture in 2018 and is even more toxic in aquatic environments.   Yet the general public – and investors – are being kept in the dark as to the environmental risks. 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch and The Ferret revealed in March 2020 that BMK08 (known as Ectosan until late 2019) was Imidacloprid following a tip-off that Mowi had sought approval via the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.  Benchmark's largest owner is Norwegian tobacco billionaire Johan Andresen who rather paradoxically is Chair of Norway's Council on Ethics who polices 'ethical' investment including in 'Scottish' salmon farming.

 

 

 

 

Fish Farmer magazine reported (16 April 2021):

 

Fish Farmer 16 April 2021 #1

Fish Farmer 16 April 2021 #2 Fish Farmer 16 April 2021 #3

 

 

Find out more about Meghan's work via LinkedIn:

 

Meghan Rochford LinkedIn

 

Meghan Rochford LinkedIn #1

Meghan Rochford LinkedIn #2

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported (16 April 2021):

 

Fish Farming Expert 16 April 2021 EU law MRL

Fish Farming Expert 16 April 2021 EU law MRL #2

 

 

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported in September 2020:

 

Fish Farming Expert 16 April 2021 EU law MRL #3

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert also reported (16 April 2021):

 

Fish Farmer 16 April 2021 #4

Fish Farmer 16 April 2021 #5

 

Fish Farmer 16 April 2021 #6

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported (26 March 2021):

 

Benchmark signs first CleanTreat agreements 26 March 2021 #1

Benchmark signs first CleanTreat agreements 26 March 2021 #2

 

 

 

Benchmark is loathe to admit it but BMK08 is the toxic neonicotinoid Imidacloprid – banned for use in terrestrial agriculture in 2018 (although last year Greenpeace identified a dangerous loophole) and shown by peer-reviewed science to be hazardous to aquatic environments.   

 

 

 

 

Fish Farming Expert reported in March 2020:

 

Benchmark Identiy revealed March 2020 #1

Benchmark Identiy revealed March 2020 #2

Benchmark Identiy revealed March 2020 #3

 

British Wildlife reported in August 2020:

 

British Wildlife August 2020 #1

British Wildlife August 2020 #3

British Wildlife August 2020 #4

 

 

The Sunday Times reported in June 2020:

 

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #1

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #2

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #3

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #4

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #5

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in May 2020 that Mowi had lobbied the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for a field trial of Imidacloprid in Loch Ailort (a site visited by Prince Philip in 1974 leading to a Royal Warrant for Mowi – then called Marine Harvest):

 

 

 

 

 

After Scottish Salmon Watch filmed at Mowi's Loch Ailort salmon farm at Ardnish in July 2020 we received a legal threat from Mowi's lawyers.

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in March 2020:

 

PR Ectosan BMK08 17 March 2020 #1

PR Ectosan BMK08 17 March 2020 #2

PR Ectosan BMK08 17 March 2020 #3

PR Ectosan BMK08 17 March 2020 #4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In February 2020 (before the public was notified that BMK08/Ectosan was the hazardous neonicotinoid Imidacloprid), Scottish Salmon Watch filed an appeal with the Scottish Information Commissioner following the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's refusal to disclose information citing commercial confidentiality (over 12 months later we are still waiting for a ruling).  

 

 

 

 

 

Imidacloprid graphic Water bottle spoof

 

Fish Farmer magazine reported in February 2020 that more than 35,000 tonnes of Norwegian farmed salmon at five farms had been treated with Imidacloprid (BMK08) "over the past 24 months":

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #1

 

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #2

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #3

 

Fish Farmer Feb 2020 #4

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch has repeatedly asked the authorities in Scotland whether Imidacloprid has already been used in 'Scottish' salmon farming – either illegally or with a secret licence in the field or in the laboratory – but we have hit brick wall after brick wall. 

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch has asked the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage (Nature Scotland), the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the Scottish Government and even Benchmark for copies of any environmental risk assessments regarding the use of Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan) use in salmon farming but have been denied at every turn.   

 

 

 

 

It now seems that the UK Government and the Scottish Government is prepared to open the floodgates to a toxic chemical banned for use in terrestrial agriculture back in 2018.  

 

Science EU ban 2018

 

 

Scottish Farmer reported in January 2021:

 

Scottish Farmer Jan 2021

 

 

Greenpeace reported in July 2020 (also reported by the Daily Telegraph):

 

Greenpeace on EU loophole

 

 

 

The question seems to be not if but when the 'green' Scottish Government raise a glass to Imidacloprid-marinaded Scottish salmon and drink to the success of Benchmark's "environmentally friendly" water purification system CleanTreat. 

 

 

 

Imidacloprid graphic Will the Minister drink it

 

 

 

Today (17 April 2021), Scottish Salmon Watch filed another FOI request with SEPA for information on Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan).

 

 

 

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Apr 17, 2021 at 7:45 AM
Subject: FOI re. Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat & Benchmark since 8 June 2020
To: AccesstoInformation <foi@sepa.org.uk>
Cc: Pollard, Peter <peter.pollard@sepa.org.uk>, Ahearn, Terry <terry.ahearn@sepa.org.uk>, Media <publicrelations@sepa.org.uk>, Mackinnon, Alison <Alison.Mackinnon@sepa.org.uk>, Sinclair, Douglas <douglas.sinclair@sepa.org.uk>
 
Please provide any information on Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat and Benchmark since 8 June 2020. 
 
Please include emails, reports, risk assessments, modelling results, surveys, photos, letters, Excel data and any other information in relation to Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat & Benchmark.
 
Please detail any meetings and online phone calls (e.g. Zoom) with Benchmark, SSPO, salmon farming companies, Scottish Government officials, SNH or any other parties in relation to Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat & Benchmark.
 
Scottish Salmon Watch was alarmed to read in the trade press yesterday that Benchmark have appointed an environmental modeller (Meghan Rochford) – formerly employed by Grieg Seafood, The Scottish Salmon Company and Marine Harvest/Mowi – to gear up for the use of Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan) in salmon farming in Scotland.
 
 
SEPA stated in an email from Peter Pollard dated 26 June 2020:
 
"SEPA is not planning to commission and publish a scientific dossier on the environmental impacts of imidacloprid….. In the case of imidacloprid, there are currently no established coastal water environmental standards to review. There are also no authorised discharges into coastal waters.  Before we would consider authorising any discharges of imidacloprid, we would require the applicant to provide the necessary data to identify a suitable environmental standard in the form of a predicted no effect concentration. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the scientific information for this purpose"
 
A FOI reply dated 26 June 2020 included:
 
image.png
And:
 
image.png

 
As background reference see online here
 
 
 
Scottish Salmon Watch was hoping to wait to file this FOI request until the ruling from the Scottish Information Commissioner (as filed in February 2020) but it seems that if we wait any longer then Imidacloprid will already be used commercially at salmon farms across Scotland. 
 
 
Scottish Salmon Watch is of the view that Imidacloprid has already been used illegally and in secret at Benchmark's Ardtoe Marine Laboratory and wishes to stop any commercial use in Scotland. 
 
Please consider this a formal FOI request under the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations.
 
Please provide the information electronically.
 
Please provide a receipt.
 
Thanks,
 
Don Staniford
 
Director, Scottish Salmon Watch
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch also filed another FOI request with the Scottish Government (following up a FOI request dated 26 October 2020):

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Apr 17, 2021 at 3:48 PM
Subject: FOI re. Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat & Benchmark since 26 October 2020
To: <CEU@gov.scot>
 
Please provide any information on Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat and Benchmark since 26 October 2020 (i.e. since a FOI filed on that date: https://donstaniford.com/wp-content/uploads/foi-imidacloprid-26-oct-2020.pdf).   
 
 
Please include emails, reports, risk assessments, modelling results, surveys, photos, letters, Excel data and any other information in relation to Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat & Benchmark.
 
Please detail any meetings and online phone calls (e.g. Zoom) with Benchmark, SSPO, salmon farming companies, Scottish Government officials, SEPA, SNH or any other parties in relation to Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat & Benchmark.
 
Scottish Salmon Watch was alarmed to read in the trade press yesterday that Benchmark have appointed an environmental modeller (Meghan Rochford) – formerly employed by Grieg Seafood, The Scottish Salmon Company and Marine Harvest/Mowi – to gear up for the use of Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan) in salmon farming in Scotland.
 
 
 
 
Please consider this a formal FOI request under the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations.
 
Please provide the information electronically.
 
Please provide a receipt.
 
Thanks,
 
Don Staniford
 
Director, Scottish Salmon Watch
 
 
 
Top Secret Salmon
 

 

And a FOI was filed with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate:

 

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Apr 17, 2021 at 4:01 PM
Subject: FOI re. Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat & Benchmark since 26 October 2020
To: Andrew Saunders <a.saunders@vmd.gov.uk>

Please provide any information on Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat and Benchmark since 26 October 2020 (i.e. since a FOI filed on that date: https://donstaniford.com/wp-content/uploads/foi-imidacloprid-26-oct-2020.pdf).   
 
 
Please include emails, reports, risk assessments, modelling results, surveys, photos, letters, Excel data and any other information in relation to Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat & Benchmark.
 
Please detail any meetings and online phone calls (e.g. Zoom) with Benchmark, SSPO, salmon farming companies, Scottish Government officials, SEPA, SNH or any other parties in relation to Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan), CleanTreat & Benchmark.
 
Please include any discussions or information relating to the European Medicines Agency and their opinion in September 2020 on an MRL: https://www.ema.europa.eu/documents/mrl-summary/imidacloprid-fin-fish-summary-opinion-cvmp-establishment-maximum-residue-limits_en.pdf
 
 
Please include any discussions and information relating EU approval and an MRL. 
 
Fish Farming Expert reported yesterday:
 
"Aquaculture health, genetics and nutrition company Benchmark Holdings today said that the MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) for its novel sea lice treatment BMK08 has been ratified under European Union law. The ratification follows an opinion adopted by the European Medicine Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use in September last year recommending the inclusion of BMK08’s active pharmaceutical ingredient in fin fish as an allowed substance regarding maximum residue limits in foodstuffs of animal origin":
 
 
Scottish Salmon Watch was alarmed to read in the trade press yesterday that Benchmark have appointed an environmental modeller (Meghan Rochford) – formerly employed by Grieg Seafood, The Scottish Salmon Company and Marine Harvest/Mowi – to gear up for the use of Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan) in salmon farming in Scotland.
 
 
 
 
Please consider this a formal FOI request under the relevant FOI and Environmental Information regulations.
 
Please provide the information electronically.
 
Please provide a receipt.
 
Thanks,
 
Don Staniford
 
Director, Scottish Salmon Watch
 
 

 

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