A FIRM accused of “burying dead fish” has admitted it was disposing of salmon mortalities over the summer despite previously saying it was “not happening at all”.
The family-run Whiteshore Cockles in North Uist said it had to “take urgent action” after the new fishing processing plant failed by “temporarily burying” salmon carcasses.
A spokesperson for the Western Isles firm, owned by Angus and Fraser MacDonald, said the reason why they chose to continue burying dead fish was to prevent odours caused by “unprecedented warming conditions”.
Footage from the campaign group Green Britain Foundation last week allegedly showed workers at Whiteshore Cockles dumping “tonnes” of dead fish in sand pits on a beach in North Uist back in May.
Campaigners from the group, founded by environmentalist Dale Vince, have since filed a criminal complaint to the police following their investigation.
When approached by ITV about the footage and asked if the practice of burying dead fish was still ongoing Angus said: “It’s not happening at all.”
However, a spokesperson for the business has now said they were burying the fish “temporarily” at the site, and that the owners have been subjected to alleged threatening behaviour since it was revealed.
“The aggressive tactics of convicted animal rights campaigners sponsored by a multimillionaire electricity mogul was deeply traumatic for us, compounded by the fact that we have, as a small family business, been subjected to a death threat which is now being looked into by Police Scotland,” a spokesperson said.
They added: “We are a small family run business that has processed fallen stock from the salmon sector for many years. Initially this licensed facility composted the organic waste in Machair land, which has been done for centuries.
“We have invested heavily with our own funds to create a circular solution for this mortality, which was higher in 22/23 due to well documented and unprecedented warming conditions in Scottish Coastal waters.
“During the summer our processing plant failed, and we had to take urgent action to prevent odours by temporarily burying salmon carcasses in the previously licensed burial site. All mortalities are rendered in our state of the art factory now and this has created a vital service in one of the remotest parts of the British Isles.”
Police Scotland confirmed they had received a report of a “threatening online communication” on Tuesday, October 8, by Whiteshore Cockles and said suitable advice has been provided.
The firm's comments follow the news on Tuesday that campaign group Green Britain Foundation had filed a formal criminal complaint with Police Scotland over the alleged incident.
Activists from the group have accused Whiteshore Cockles of committing multiple environmental offences and fraud after filming them “burying tonnes” of dead and diseased fish back in May – months after it was illegal for them to do so.
The firm was able to previously carry out the practice legally due to an exemption from the Scottish Government, as they were building a fish waste dryer.
The fish waste drier breaks down dead salmon with heat turning them into oils and fishmeal, which is deemed as a more sustainable solution for the disposal of fish mortalities.
However, this exemption came to an end on January 31, 2024, as it became illegal to bury deceased salmon.
Police Scotland has confirmed they have received the complaint from the Green Britain Foundation.
A spokesperson for the force said: “We have received a report, and officers are liaising with the relevant authorities.”
Green Britain Foundation’s founder Vince said on Tuesday that the criminal complaint was “just the start”.
He added the group is going to keep “holding industries accountable” when they “trash the environment for profit”.
In a statement, Vince said: “What we've uncovered at Whiteshore Cockles is shocking — it's the fish farming industry treating the land and sea like a dumping ground.
“Tonnes of diseased fish, illegally buried, right next to sensitive ecosystems. We’ve taken it to the police, because the usual suspects—the regulators—have sat on their hands for years. They’ve known all about this and done nothing.
“This complaint is just the start. We're going to keep digging, exposing, and holding industries accountable when they trash the environment for profit.
“Enough is enough. Time for real accountability and for these people to face the consequences of their actions.”
Activists from the group also said industry regulatory bodies, including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) and Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) failed to take effective action against Whiteshore Cockles, leading to their criminal complaint.
Sepa reportedly carried out checks on premises like Whiteshore Cockles throughout this year and the firm said any mortalities that weren’t processed at the plant were “transported to mainland treatment facilities for disposal”.
A spokesperson for the environmental regulator said: “Sepa is concerned by the information presented and is now investigating with public partners with responsibilities for this activity.”
Sepa has not yet signed off on the new drier facility, it added.
