October 28, 2024

 

Scotland, UK sees largest farmed salmon die-off in over a decade

 
 

 

Scotland, UK has experienced its largest mass die-off of farmed salmon in over a decade, with more than a million fish dying over an 18-month period, The National reported.

 

The deaths occurred at two adjacent sites run by Mowi Scotland on Loch Seaforth in the Outer Hebrides, which are licenced as a single farm. The production cycle began in the spring of 2023, and by the end of the cycle, over a million fish had died.

 

Data from the Scottish Government was analysed by the Coastal Communities Network (CCN) and Free Salmon, which reached the figure of more than one million salmon deaths. Mowi confirmed that 1.05 million fish had died during the period, noting that this figure covers both the Seaforth and Noster sites.

 

John Aitchison of the CCN commented on the scale of the die-off: "This is the first time since 2014 that more than a million farmed salmon deaths have been reported at a single farm site in one production cycle. We expect to see more salmon deaths in Scotland because farms are becoming even larger."

 

During the same production cycle, the activist group Animal Rising claims to have filmed footage at the Seaforth site. The footage allegedly shows fish with raw patches of flesh and swollen or burst eyeballs, raising concerns about welfare practices at the farm.

 

Mowi Scotland, which supplies farmed salmon to major retailers like Tesco, Asda, Ocado, and Sainsbury's, rejected suggestions that the mass die-off was linked to poor welfare practices.

 

Ben Hadfield, Mowi Scotland's chief operating officer, attributed the deaths to an unprecedented rise in sea temperatures, which led to jellyfish blooms, a common cause of fish mortality at farms across Scotland.

 

Hadfield also dismissed claims that the deaths were caused by bad farming, overstocking, or a focus on profits, calling such assertions "very false and misleading."

 

Mowi's farms are certified by the RSPCA, which is supposed to guarantee higher animal welfare standards. However, concerns about animal welfare have been raised, including by Queen guitarist Brian May, who recently stepped down as vice president of the RSPCA, citing "damning evidence" of failings in the organisation's approach to welfare.

 

The industry has come under increasing scrutiny, including from the campaign group Green Britain Foundation, which released footage of tonnes of dead salmon being buried on a Scottish beach.

 

A spokesperson for Mowi Scotland defended the company's actions, stating: "The welfare of our fish is at the heart of what we do. It is also our business model. Healthy fish that grow to optimum levels are highly sought after all over the world."

 

The company explained that environmental factors, including a marine heatwave caused by El Niño, played a key role in the die-off. The heatwave led to warmer seawater temperatures and a surge in jellyfish, which weakened the salmon and contributed to gill disease.

 

Mowi Scotland said it had worked tirelessly to mitigate the effects of the environmental conditions and ensure that surviving stock could be brought to market under the highest welfare conditions.

 

The spokesperson added: "The RSPCA understands the challenges presented to all farmers. In the case of salmon farmers, our biggest challenges are often caused by the environment, and salmon farmers need to demonstrate the measures we have in place to deal with those challenges."

 

Mowi Scotland also reported a positive development, noting that in August 2024, the company recorded its lowest monthly mortality in over eight years, along with record high feeding and growth rates in cooler coastal waters.

 

-      The National