Naturalist and broadcaster Chris Packham has known as for a halt to the growth of the Scottish salmon farming business, as official figures recommend salmon mortality within the nation’s farms hit report ranges this 12 months.
Packham, the president of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), described the rising business as “catastrophic” for fish welfare and Scotland’s atmosphere.
Animal rights campaigners welcomed his requires higher regulation, enforcement and a halt to the expansion of the business. But they stated his feedback spotlight the “untenable position” of the RSPCA’s welfare stamp of approval scheme for salmon farms.
The RSPCA obtained £700,000 in membership and licence charges in 2022 from salmon farmers and producers as a part of its RSPCA Assured scheme. Nearly 100% of Scottish farmed salmon is produced underneath the scheme.
Rachel Mulrenan, Scotland director of WildFish, stated: “Any public figure making a commitment to raise awareness of the issues with salmon farming is positive. But this dual role that the RSPCA is playing is unhelpful. RSPCA Assured should not be certifying salmon farms, it interferes with the work of the organisation to raise awareness of action needed. The certificate is a proxy for good environmental performance and welfare, but this is not matched on the water. Look at the mortality numbers this month alone.”
The latest figures, published by the Fish Health Inspectorate , present that 13.5 million salmon mortalities had been reported by Scottish farms from January to October this yearC, in contrast with 11.5 million throughout the identical interval in 2022. That 12 months noticed salmon deaths on farms almost double, on account of rising ranges of illness, parasites and jellyfish swarms.
Don Staniford, of the $camon $cotland marketing campaign, stated: “Packham is raising a legitimate issue. The latest data from October shows the highest level of mortality in salmon farms. If their own president is raising the issue then the RSPCA’s position is untenable.”
In a newsletter to supporters of Animal Equality (AE), Packham urged them to donate to the charity to halt the expansion of the Scottish salmon farming industry. “Millions of fish are dying prematurely, parasites and diseases are out of control, and Scotland’s pure atmosphere is struggling as farm waste blights the seabed,” Packham wrote. He stated he was “speaking as a leading campaigner” for animal safety and broader ecological conservation.
“Escapes and interbreeding with wild fish is leading to compromised fitness and increased sea-lice risks for wild populations,” he stated.
An RSPCA spokesperson stated that Packham’s letter to AE supporters was written in a private capability, including that his function on the charity was “non governance”.
In an announcement, the RSPCA stated: “We are proud to have Chris Packham, a passionate campaigner for animals, as our president and we share his desire to create a better world for all animals.
“The charity created the world’s first welfare standards for salmon produced in the UK, in response to the absence of specific legislation. They have raised welfare conditions globally and are continuing to drive positive change.”
All customary breaches and instances of excessive mortality had been appeared into and members suspended to permit investigation and acceptable motion taken to rectify failings, the spokesperson stated. It had not been essential to completely exclude any members, however the RSPCA wouldn’t hesitate to take action, if a farm couldn’t rectify issues.
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While there had been “significant progress” to enhance the lives of farmed salmon there have been nonetheless “significant challenges and we are working hard to tackle them”, the spokesperson added. The RSPCA would publish new welfare requirements to incorporate additional enhancements round well being, welfare and slaughter subsequent 12 months.
Dr Iain Berrill, head of technical at Salmon Scotland, which represents the salmon farming business, stated: “Chris Packham has a significant platform, so it is disappointing that he has included several misconceptions used by anti-salmon activists in this letter.”
Berrill insisted that Scottish salmon farmers present the “highest welfare standards” wherever on the planet, independently licensed by RSPCA Assured. He stated: “While no farmer wants to lose any animal, the care our farmers are able to provide means that survival rates for farm-raised salmon – which spend up two years in the sea – are significantly higher than their wild cousins, with average monthly survival rates of around 97%.”
A Scottish authorities spokesperson stated: “Salmon farming in Scotland is a highly regulated industry subject to a number of fish health, environmental and local authority planning controls. The industry is subject to stringent animal health and welfare legislation. The vast majority of salmon farms in Scotland are members of the RSPCA assurance scheme and are regularly checked for compliance.
“We recognise an increase in mortality, which has largely been associated with earlier climate events and we expect producers to drive mortality to the lowest possible levels.”
