Commenting today (Aug 26th) on the news that nearly 50 000 salmon escaped from a Mowi fish farm near Campbeltown during Storm Ellen, a Spokesperson for The SGA Fishing Group said:
“Whilst this mass escape was the result of a major storm, storms are not infrequent occurrences in Scotland. There needs to be an inquiry into why these breaches keep occurring in a storm-prone country. In other nations with sizeable aquaculture operations, this type of event would lead to sanctions. What are the procedures in Scotland?
“The agencies involved need to give clear and urgent guidance as to how these escaped fish, threatening the integrity of our wild fish, should be treated. What status do they have and should they be caught and killed in the interest of conserving wild salmon and sea trout?
"The conservation of wild salmon is a commitment in Scottish Government's programme of government."
