If I Were To Tell You The Damning Facts

OPEN LETTER TO NEWSPAPERS

If I were simply to tell you the damning facts about salmon farming’s harmful impacts on the marine environment, wild salmon, coastal communities in the third-world, farmed fish well-being and the doubtful food safety of farmed salmon, would you stop eating farmed salmon? Maybe not, but I’ll tell you anyway:

Comment Letter (Objection) Loch Carron

Dr James Merryweather

9 December, 2018

ePlanning Centre
F.A.O. Dr Shona Turnbull
Case officer, aquaculture
The Highland Council
Glenurquhart Road
Inverness IV3 5NX

Dear Dr Turnbull,

COMMENT LETTER (objection) – Scottish Salmon Company 18/04819/FUL

Letter of Objection – Rubha Stillaig – Loch Fyne

Blairbeg House, Lamlash, Isle of Arran KA27 8JT

12 April 2018

SEPA Registry
Grasser House
Fodderty Way
Dingwall
IV15 9XB

Dear Sir

APPLICATION CAR/L/01000891 Rubha Stillaig Fish Farm. Loch Fyne

“We need to join forces against resistant microbes” with particular reference to current aquaculture practices

The further concern for us all, after microplastics, is the UK rising challenge of antimicrobial resistance, known by AMR, its three-letter abbreviation. It is estimated that over 700,000 people die each year across the world due to drug-resistant infections and it is predicted to increase to 10 million by 2050 if we take no action.

Salmon aquaculture in Scotland: is it coming to the end of the line?

The Image: how appropriate for SNP Salmon Farming Policy

Photo: Don MacNeish©

UNTREATED WASTE INTO KILBRANNAN SOUND

It must be nearly ten years ago since Arran defeated a Marine Harvest proposal for a huge 2500 tonnes max biomass fish farm for a site north of Lamlash Bay and Hamilton Rock. It involved a very committed effort by those in the community concerned about the proposal. So why is there not outrage on Arran about the disposal of untreated waste into Kilbrannan Sound, by both salmon aquaculture and our own island distillery?

The Perils of Accepting a “Sustainable” food label without the bigger picture

BioMar, a Danish Company, is one of the leading suppliers of “high performance” fish feed to the aquaculture industry worldwide. BioMar operates 13 feed factories including one at Grangemouth, Scotland. According to its own figures, roughly one out of five farmed fish produced in Europe, South and Central America is fed on BioMar fish feed. Worldwide, the BioMar Group supplies feed to around 60 countries and to more than 45 different fish species.

A recent fire at the Grangemouth plant had SEPA responding to complaints of “fishy smells”. So, what was causing the smell? On investigation of BioMar’s website, and specifically their 2017 Sustainability Report these are the fish used in fishmeal and fish oil feed:

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WILD AND FARMED SALMON?

James Merryweather

Here is some guidance for Paul F @egPFriend, who on 5 September 2018 posted a Tweet at @ScotSalmonTank asking: “Can’t believe I didn’t know this. How do you know if it’s farmed salmon so I know to boycott?”

Paul will be pleased to know that the choice is not hard to make.

LABELLING SALMON & THE ROULÉ EXPERIMENT

James Merryweather – 5 September 2018

The labelling of farmed so-called ‘Scottish’ salmon has recently been refined. Not very long ago, farmed salmon was proudly presented as ‘farmed’, but then it turned into ‘Scottish Salmon’, still with clear notice that it was farmed (often given quite prominently as ‘Farmed in Scotland or Norway’ – yes, Scottish Salmon farmed in Norway).

Highland Council Must not Permit Expansion of Polluting Fish Farms

A letter of objection from Salmon & Trout Conservation Scotland to the expansion of a fish farm which has been recommended for approval by Highland Council.

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Dear Sirs,

Gob na Hoe Marine Cage Fish Farm, Loch Dunvegan, Skye

In this matter, I act for Salmon & Trout Conservation Scotland.
S&TCS objects strongly to the application to increase the permitted biomass from 2021 tonnes to 2215 tonnes at the above farm for the reasons set out below.