Scotland salmon farmer launches its own welfare standard
Tailored scheme is better suited to our size and approach, says Loch Duart
Scotland fish farmer Loch Duart Salmon today launched its own tailored “Loch Duart Standard”, a fish welfare accreditation that it says it better suited to its relatively small size, low-volume production methods, and innovative approach than larger schemes.
Loch Duart, which produces around 9,000 tonnes of salmon annually at 14 marine sites in Sutherland, the Outer Hebrides, and Skye, respects the RSPCA assured scheme but has allowed membership to lapse in preparation for the introduction of the new programme.
“The new standard represents a deliberate move away from existing frameworks, which have increasingly been adapted to suit larger operations,” the company said in a press release today.
Focused on fish health
The Loch Duart Standard requires that the company’s fish health teams are on site a minimum of once per week, probably twice. The rationale is that dedicated fish health team, working in tandem with site managers, will be more efficient and quicker in responding to things that are changing in the marine environment.
The Standard will be independently managed and assessed by Leigh Grant Consulting and Partners in Welfare.
“We’ve created a bespoke framework tailored specifically to small-scale farming operations and not adapted from large-scale models. This new standard reflects how we farm; hands-on, welfare-led and future-focused,” said Loch Duart managing director Mark Warrington.
“The Loch Duart Standard prioritises accountability and introduces a new level of transparency with regular, on-site inspections and through independent audits of each site by professionals with more than 85 years of animal welfare expertise. Crucially, the standard is dynamic and agile and designed to evolve alongside the continuing advancements in fish welfare practices and environmental management.”
Unannounced inspections
A spokesperson for Leigh Grant Consulting said: “The standard will cover every stage of production, from broodstock through to harvest, and addresses all the production processes within Loch Duart which are all aimed at raising premium Scottish salmon.
“We have been given unhindered access to all Loch Duart sites, with an open invitation to carry out inspections whenever we choose. As such, most of our inspections will be unannounced. Importantly, and quite uniquely, whilst we will always audit documentation to ensure comprehensive record-keeping, these inspections will always focus on the fish and the majority of our time will be spent observing staff interactions with the salmon to ensure compliance to the Loch Duart Standard.
“Our goal is to encourage staff to develop and share best practice and to encourage them to proactively contribute to the ongoing development of this bespoke, dynamic and, ultimately, pragmatic high-welfare standard. By adopting this approach, we believe that there will be an even greater commitment to achieving and maintaining compliance.”
Loch Duart remains a member of GlobalG.A.P, which is environment focused but also has a lot of welfare stipulations, and the French quality standard Label Rouge.
