It has been revealed that 11,040 fish escaped from SSC's Geasgill site. Photo: SSC

Cross-breed fears after SSC escape total revealed

More than 11,000 fish escaped from the Scottish Salmon Company's Geasgill site off the Isle of Mull, it has been revealed, prompting concern that they could breed with wild salmon in Argyll and Bute.

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The number of year-old, 2.8kg Atlantic salmon that escaped on August 15 was initially reported as "unknown" by Marine Scotland, but Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) communications officer Kenneth Stephen said the government body has since told the SGA that 11,040 fish got free.

The River Ba is rated by government scientists as having the highest grading for conservation of wild salmon, says the SGA. Photo: Internet

The SGA Fishing Group said the farmed salmon had entered rivers including the River Ba, one of the few rivers in the west of Scotland given a class 1 rating for salmon conservation.

Weakening wild gene pool

Ghillies have ordered any farmed salmon caught to be killed, claiming there is “real concern” cross-breeding between farmed salmon and wild salmon will weaken the wild gene pool.

Greg Marsh of the SGA Fishing Group, who looks after operations at River Coladoir and Loch Scridain, said: “The Ba is a class one river, which means it is rated by Scottish Government scientists as having the highest grading for conservation of wild salmon.

“There are now a lot of farmed fish through it and up into Loch Ba. People here are up in arms.

Real concern

“What effect is this going to have on the wild fish? What will fisheries be offering in three or four years’ time? Fish of unknown genetic purity.

“Those on the environmental side in Scottish Government need to raise greater awareness of the dangers to wild fish caused by escapes from fish farms and start doing something more effective about it.”

He added: “The likelihood of crossbreeding is a real concern so people need to know the difference if the impacts of these escapes are to be contained in any way.”

Reviewed procedures

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Salmon Company said: “During a routine fish handling exercise at our site on Mull we identified a reduction in salmon numbers.

“This was reported to Marine Scotland and investigated in line with standard procedure.

“We take the health and well-being of our fish and the surrounding environment very seriously and have reviewed procedures and training.”

In May last year the Scottish Salmon Company lost 300,000 nine-month salmon with an average weight of 623g from a site at Scadabay, Harris, in a weather-related escape.