Treatments lead to hefty mortalities
Nearly 200,000 salmon have been killed by Marine Harvest Scotland during sea lice and AGD treatments this year, according to an article published in the in the Sunday Herald.
The article, which supposedly draws on internal Government memos, suggests that over 175,000 salmon have been killed during treatments over the summer.
The Herald alleges that 95,000 salmon averaging 4kg were killed during July and August at a single site in Loch Greshornish on Skye, during treatment with a thermolicer, in an event that cost the company over £2.7 million.
The article states that: “Another 20,000 salmon were killed at Loch Greshornish fish farm by other attempts to rid them of sea lice using chemicals.”
The same article also cites a second government memo, which reveals that 60,000 salmon, averaging 2.5kg, were killed during hydrogen peroxide treatments for AGD in Soay Sound off the Isle of Harris in September and a further memo which reports the loss of 84,820 3.8kg fish from a site in the Grey Horse Channel, also off Harris, due to PD and AGD, at the end of August.
