Salmon escape after moorings failed in bad weather

Loch Duart said the incident occurred despite staff successfully retrieving the walkway, which had gone adrift in bad weather. Managing director Nick Joy told the newspaper: "While we regret enormously the potential loss of these fish, both from a company and an environmental perspective, we are so grateful to the men and women who put to sea in these conditions and averted a bigger catastrophe." He added: "The fish that may have escaped are in their first year at sea, none are mature and it is extremely unlikely that any will go towards the local rivers. We expect that these young fish will fall easy prey to the local seal colonies and other predators." Loch Duart said it had informed relevant authorities, but the incident was quickly seized upon by salmon-farming opponents. Sutherland-based Bruce Sandison, a long-time campaigner, told the Press and Journal: "Continuing levels of escapes of farmed salmon from cages are a disgrace, no matter how apologetic the farmers are. "The situation is intolerable and it is time for the government to introduce penalties."