Loch Duart stands behind farming practices after activists film injured fish
'Selectively curated' footage doesn't represent the healthy population currently being harvested from site, says salmon producer
Salmon farmer Loch Duart has condemned what it calls “the continued harassment of our company, our dedicated employees, and our loyal customers by career animal activists”.
It follows the publication of video footage by veteran anti-salmon farming activist Don Staniford and an ally, Jamie Moyes, of sick or injured fish at Loch Duart’s Reintraid site in Loch A Chairn Bhain near Kylesku in Sutherland.
The footage shows a salmon with bulging eyes, another with a spinal deformity, and a number of fish with white marks which could be lice or fungal lesions.
Filming took place early in the morning of June 20, before staff has arrived on site. Staniford, who has been a full-time activist for more than 20 years, claimed the farm was the worst he’s ever seen. He has made complaints about the farm to the UK government's Animal & Plant Health Agency and the Scottish Government’s Fish Health Inspectorate.
A false picture
Loch Duart said the video made by Staniford and Moyes didn’t give a true picture of the health of the farm’s population.
“Every day, our team works tirelessly to raise fish to the highest standards of care, delivering a product we are proud to share with customers around the world,” said a spokesperson for the US-owned company.
“As with any animal population, including humans, a small proportion of individuals will become ill. While unfortunate, this is a biological reality of life. Although the footage is distressing, it has been selectively curated to show only a small number of affected fish and is not representative of the healthy population currently being harvested from this site.
Biosecurity risks
“We are deeply concerned by activists unlawfully trespassing onto our farms, creating serious safety risks for themselves and unnecessary biosecurity risks to our fish stocks.
“We stand firmly behind our small-scale farming practices, with fish welfare and product quality at the heart of everything we do. We remain confident in our belief that this approach produces the finest farm-raised salmon available on the market.”
