Protect Scotland's Wild Salmon
- by: Judith B.
- recipient: The Scottish Government
Destructive fish farming methods are threatening not only wild salmon, and the industries that depend on them, but also Scotland’s aquatic ecosystems as a whole.
The Scottish salmon farming industry has long attracted criticism for destructive practices, most recently from the founder of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund. Salmon farming is not dissimilar to other intensive farming methods. It involves large numbers of animals packed together, forming the perfect environment for pests, notably sea lice, and diseases to proliferate.
Sea lice and the vast quantities of pesticides used to treat them cause serious and potentially catastrophic problems for wild salmon and the surrounding environment. Salmon farms do not involve self-contained ponds or tanks – they are basically cages situated in some of Scotland’s most delicate aquatic habitats. Anything multiplying in or used on the farms will get into natural ecosystems.
You also have fish farmers complaining about native wildlife, which has led to the issuing of licences to shoot hundreds of seals.
Unsustainable fish farming practices that threaten the country’s natural heritage should not be tolerated. Ask the Scottish government to introduce much stricter regulation and inspection of salmon farms, including closure of those wreaking environmental havoc.
We the undersigned ask that the salmon farming industry be regulated far more stringently. The parasites that thrive in the farm environment pose a threat to wild salmon while the chemicals used are polluting the surrounding ecosystems.
Sea lochs and other coastal habitats are fragile; they do not need large quantities of what are, essentially, agricultural pesticides introduced. Salmon farming at the moment involves highly unsustainable practices which are threatening the environment, wild fish stocks, and all the industries that depend on them.
If fish farming of this nature is to continue, it must work with the habitat, not against it. At the moment, it appears to be one of Scotland’s more destructive industries, and this shouldn’t be tolerated.
Please take urgent action to clean up salmon farming, including, if necessary, closure of those farms found to be flouting regulations.
Thank you for your attention.
