A FISH farm firm was filmed removing “tonnes” of dead fish hours before it was inspected by MSPs, but has insisted it played no part in an “outrageous cover-up”.
Members of Holyrood’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee visited the fish farm in Dunstaffnage near Oban, which is run by Scottish Sea Farms, on Monday as part of a formal inquiry into Scotland’s farmed salmon industry.
The firm which runs the Oban farm supplies salmon to the supermarket chain Marks & Spencer.
According to The Times, footage obtained by the campaign group Animal Equality UK (AE UK) shows workers at the farm removing large numbers of dead salmon ahead of the MSP's visit.
The all-party committee from Holyrood is conducting the inquiry into the fish farm industry after reports of concerns over excessive mortality rates and the prevalence of sea lice.
According to data from Salmon Scotland, the industry body, the Dunstaffnage site had a mortality rate of 57% last year.
Abigail Penny, AE UK’s executive director, said: “To remove tonnes of dead fish just hours before politicians arrive to investigate is outrageous and depicts a wholly inaccurate image of the industry.
“We urge the committee to see the industry for what it truly is: deceptive and deadly.”
“Given the unnatural conditions, lice and diseases run rampant on many Scottish salmon farms,” Penny alleged.
She added: “Rather than effectively tackle these serious and pervasive issues this latest evidence suggests that industry representatives would prefer to hide the truth.”
According to The Times, workers at the fish farm were filmed filling bins with large quantities of dead fish just hours before MSPs arrived to carry out their inquiry.
However, Dr Ralph Bickerdike, head of fish health and welfare with Scottish Sea Farms, insisted the footage showed a routine operation and the workers were carrying out an essential part of their duties.
He said: “The footage clearly shows our Dunstaffnage farm team following the company’s standard operating procedure with routine pen-side checks and regular moribund and mortality removal.
“Contrary to the claims made by Animal Equality UK, this is an essential part of our duty of care and something we do daily wherever conditions allow, whether we have a farm visit scheduled or not.”
The committee is scheduled to hear evidence from salmon farm industry representatives on October 2 as they carry out further inquiries.
Ariane Burgess (below), the Green MSP for Highlands and Islands, who is one of the committee members who took part in the visit, said: “I would be very concerned if these allegations are true.
“I hope that Scottish Sea Farms will explain the situation and what has happened.
“The salmon farming industry must always have sustainability and animal welfare at its heart.”
