Latest news with #DaleVince
Times
20-05-2025
- Times
Salmon farm loses RSPCA approval over ‘fish-beating' video
Supermarkets are reviewing their contracts with the world's largest supplier of farmed salmon after footage emerged of fish being beaten to death at a site in Scotland. Mowi, a Norwegian company that operates on Loch Harport, on Skye, has been removed from an RSPCA animal welfare scheme after being accused of 18 incidents of alleged cruelty. The incidents were filmed in March by an environmental group, the Green Britain Foundation (GBF), founded by Dale Vince, the renewable energy entrepreneur. The footage purportedly shows Atlantic salmon left to suffocate for more than a minute; a fish's head being crushed by a worker's heel; and some fish being repeatedly beaten. The RSPCA has launched an investigation into the 'extremely upsetting' video and suspended the farm from its
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Skye salmon farm suspended over alleged abuse videos
A fish farm on the Isle of Skye has been suspended from an animal welfare scheme after campaigners filmed videos allegedly showing "systemic cruelty" to salmon. Animal rights campaigners from the Green Britain Foundation said the footage from the Mowi farm at Loch Harport showed the fish being beaten and suffocated to death. They urged the RSPCA to suspend the company's 54 other salmon farms in Scotland, which are still certified under the charity's Assured labelling scheme. Mowi said it was fully cooperating with the RSPCA on its investigation, adding that its salmon are well cared for and the footage had been misconstrued. The Green Britain Foundation said its videos showed more than 18 incidents of animal cruelty across multiple days in March 2025. The RSPCA is investigating the fish farm rather than SSPCA because the salmon is sold under one of its schemes. It has now instructed supermarkets to remove Mowi salmon products from their shelves. The RSPCA said the videos were "extremely upsetting" and it was "totally unacceptable for any animal to be treated in this way". The footage has also been reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency - a government body which can take legal action if necessary. Animal welfare standards require that the time a fish spends out of water should "never exceed 15 seconds for a live fish" and that dying fish should be given "a non-recoverable percussive blow to the head of the fish to render it immediately insensible". But the Green Britain Foundation claimed the footage showed fish being left out of the water to suffocate for minutes at a time, and some being beaten several times before they finally died. Founder Dale Vince said: "This footage of cruelty on a Mowi fish farm is absolutely horrifying. "These are not isolated incidents - this is systematic cruelty showing a complete disregard for animal welfare, for sentient life. "This isn't just a breach of standards - it's a culture of cruelty that has no place in any industry - let alone one claiming to meet RSPCA welfare standards." He urged the RSPCA should "drop Mowi entirely - not just this one farm". "Anything less would be a betrayal of their own standards and the animals they claim to protect," Mr Vince added. However Mowi Scotland said the Green Britain Foundation was "known for its opposition to farming animals for people to eat". A spokesperson said: "The husbandry staff featured in the footage were removing around 12 poor performing salmon from a large pen holding more than 40,000 healthy salmon. "Our salmon at the farm are in great condition, are looked after and are reared in clean water off the west coast of Scotland. "We are fully cooperating with the RSPCA while its team conducts a full investigation. While we do understand that the footage showing these fish being dispatched may be concerning to some people, percussive stun to dispatch fish is the most effective and humane method in these circumstances." They added: "The staff are working on floating pens in what appears to be a very windy day so would be trying to ensure that the fish are stunned as quickly as possible and so some fish received multiple blows, but that is to ensure they are quickly euthanised." Mowi Scotland said it would refresh animal welfare training for its farming teams to ensure they meet RSPCA standards. Salmon farming improvements making 'slow progress' Salmon producer Mowi could sell Skye feed mill
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Watch: Organic salmon farm suspended by RSPCA for ‘beating' fish to death
Credit: Green Britain Foundation The UK's largest supplier of organic salmon has been suspended from an RSPCA animal welfare scheme after staff were filmed 'beating fish to death', The Telegraph can reveal. Some farmers working at a Mowi fish farm on Loch Harport have been accused of 18 incidents of animal cruelty after the Green Britain Foundation (GBF) filmed the site for a month. The group, founded by Dale Vince, the renewable energy entrepreneur, has claimed its footage shows Atlantic salmon left to suffocate for more than a minute, a fish's head being crushed by a worker's heel, and some creatures taking up to 50 seconds to die from repeated beatings. The RSPCA has launched an investigation into the 'extremely upsetting' video and suspended the Scottish farm from its assured animal welfare certification scheme. Sainsbury's has suspended supply from Mowi while the investigation is ongoing. The Norwegian seafood company also supplies to other major retailers like Tesco and Waitrose. The Soil Association has also launched its own investigation, adding that it was 'shocked and saddened to see an unacceptable level of animal welfare that we shouldn't be seeing in an organic certified system'. The video shows staff working on a large pen which holds 40,000 salmon. The GBF says the footage shows live fish being kept out of water beyond a 15-second limit set by RSPCA welfare standards. The clip, filmed from a public location on the Isle of Skye, also appears to show staff using a 'priest' – a small baton – to repeatedly strike salmon despite welfare standards requiring them to be given a 'non-recoverable percussive blow to the head to render it immediately insensible.' The footage will prove embarrassing for Mowi, which boasts that the 'health and welfare of our salmon is our top priority'. Mr Vince, who also founded Ecotricity, described the footage as 'absolutely horrifying', claiming they were examples of 'systematic cruelty showing a complete disregard for animal welfare'. 'One worker was recorded crushing a fish's head under their heel. This isn't just a breach of standards, it's a culture of cruelty that has no place in any industry, let alone one claiming to meet RSPCA welfare standards. 'We have documented over 18 incidents across multiple days. If one suffocated fish warrants removing certification from an entire company in Australia, then surely this pattern of systematic abuse demands the same response here. 'The RSPCA must act decisively and drop Mowi entirely – not just this one farm. Anything less would be a betrayal of their own standards and the animals they claim to protect.' An RSPCA Assured spokesman said the suspension meant Mowi was not currently able to market or sell any products under the RSPCA Assured label. 'Whilst we establish the facts, we are unable to comment further. However, we want to offer our firm reassurance that salmon welfare is our absolute priority, and we will not hesitate to take action where necessary. 'We have also advised that the footage is reported to APHA – the Animal and Plant Health Agency. They are a government body equipped to take legal action if necessary. A Waitrose spokesman said it was 'investigating this footage as a matter of urgency with our supplier and will take whatever steps we need to.' Mowi said it had 'reviewed' the footage, adding that the group was 'known for its opposition to farming animals', as well as 'funding… vegan activists to film and oppose salmon farming operations'. It added that 'husbandry staff' were removing 'around 12 poor performing salmon' from a large pen which held 40,000 'healthy salmon'. 'We do understand why the footage showing these fish being dispatched may be concerning to some people but percussive stun to dispatch fish is the most effective and humane method in these circumstances,' it added. 'The staff are working on floating pens in what appears to be a very windy day, so [they] would be trying to ensure that the fish are stunned as quickly as possible and so some fish received multiple blows, but that is to ensure they are quickly euthanised.' According to Mowi, its bosses had 'spoken to the farm staff to support them and ensure that they feel valued as farmers and not persecuted by activists', explaining how they would be providing 'refresher' courses to staff to ensure 'the requirements of the RSPCA welfare standard are held to the highest standard in our business at all times'. Mowi Scotland employs 1,500 staff in the Scottish Highlands and Fife. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
British sanctions against Israel would be self-harming and morally wrong
When earlier this year I was asked by the Government to become trade envoy to Israel, it was an invitation I gladly took up. It was a way to serve the interests of the British people. You may not realise it, but countless jobs and even lives in this country are dependent upon the exchange of ideas, innovation and business with Israel. The Government is negotiating a new trade deal but Labour donor Dale Vince says ministers should 'pull the trade deal and impose sanctions'. A few backbenchers are campaigning against the trade relationship with Israel too. As the Government is negotiating a new trade deal, they're instead calling for sanctions. Meanwhile, in the Tory party, a small group of MPs and peers want the UK to defy the Israeli government and recognise a state of Palestine now. Imagine how much this country would lose if the call for sanctions was heeded. Take the health system. Every day millions of people in Britain rely on vital medicines developed and manufactured in Israel. A staggering one in seven drugs dispensed by the NHS comes from the country. It may be a relatively small nation of ten million people, but Israel is a global powerhouse when it comes to pioneering new technology and pharmaceuticals. And let's not forget that during the pandemic, Britain was able to reap the benefits of Israel's world-leading public health strategies, thanks to close cooperation between our two countries. Britain can expect to reap the benefits of this innovation in biotech for decades to come. University partnerships between Israel and the UK are already developing life-saving technologies and treatments to tackle some of the world's biggest health challenges, including dementia and cancer. An astonishing level of engineering and intellectual firepower in Israel has made it a Silicon Valley of the Middle East. Israeli tech is found in the mobile phones we all use every day, computers and much more. Scientists there are working on the development of new agriculture technologies to eliminate world hunger. Then there is the boost to our economy. More than 1.7 million people work for UK firms exporting goods to Israel. We sell clothes, cars, generators, aircraft engines, medical equipment, scientific instruments and pharmaceuticals there. British engineers are working on Israeli infrastructure contracts worth millions of pounds. We benefit substantially from this ongoing relationship. The UK exported £3.2bn worth of products to Israel last year. In return, Israel sold £2.5bn worth of goods and services to the UK. But it's not just about money. The UK also benefits much more than Israel from defence and security cooperation too. Without Israeli technology, the RAF could not get planes in the air. Israeli intelligence has foiled multiple terror attacks in the UK. When British troops at war in Afghanistan and Iraq needed certain weapons and equipment urgently, they were supplied immediately, in some cases straight from Israel's own defence supplies. There's no doubt that British lives were saved. It's abundantly clear that Israel is a vital trading partner and ally for the UK. Of course, the stance of a few parliamentarians – both Labour and Conservative – against Israel is a response to the war in Gaza. But to me it seems their views stand against not only British interests but also what's best for Israelis and the Palestinians. When, on October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists crossed the border to slaughter 1,200 Israelis and take 250 hostages, the worst loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust should have been an occasion for worldwide sympathy and support. Instead, in a sickening moral inversion, Israel has been the target for the worst victim blaming imaginable. Marches in London by supporters of Palestine began before Israel had so much as struck a blow in return. One Labour backbencher, Andy McDonald, accuses Israel of 'war crimes, apartheid and even genocide'. But in truth it is Hamas who have committed countless crimes and stand in the way of peace. Their cowardly gunmen cynically hide among the civilian population in school and hospitals, and have siphoned off billions from international humanitarian aid to build a rabbit warren of tunnels beneath Gaza. Behind Hamas stands Iran, also the puppeteer pulling the strings of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. The arrests last week over an alleged terror plot on British soil remind us that Tehran is a direct threat to the UK too. Israel is the world's only Jewish state, the Middle East's only true democracy and one of our closest allies. We share values and interests and economic benefits. We share enemies too, who would only rejoice if we put that relationship at risk.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Labour split over Israel trade deal
The Labour Government is facing a split over its planned trade deal with Israel after the proposal was branded 'shameful' by some party supporters. Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, has angered MPs and party donors by pursuing talks with Israel after Britain signed trade agreements with India and the US last week. Last week, Mr Reynolds said the Government had 'ambitions to secure further agreements' with Israel, as well as Switzerland and South Korea. The push to deepen the UK's £5.8bn trade links with the Middle Eastern country risks a backbench rebellion and further alienating Labour's biggest donors amid international alarm over the loss of civilian life in Gaza. Dale Vince, who donated £5m to Labour before the general election, branded the plan 'shameful'. He urged Mr Reynolds to 'pull the trade deal and impose sanctions'. 'We shouldn't have a trade deal. We should have trade sanctions. I find the contrast between how we treat Russia and how we treat Israel to be quite incredible,' he told The Telegraph. 'It gives legitimacy to a regime that is literally terrorising millions of people in Palestine every day.' Several Labour backbenchers also criticised Mr Reynolds for forging ahead with negotiations, describing the talks as 'indefensible'. Kim Johnson, the Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said: 'It is morally indefensible for the UK to pursue a new trade deal with Israel while the bombardment of Gaza continues, inflicting devastating human suffering. 'These talks must be paused immediately, and we must prioritise using every diplomatic lever to demand a ceasefire and the full protection of civilians.' Andy McDonald, a Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, said: 'It is unconscionable that the UK is pursuing deeper trade ties with Israel while serious allegations of war crimes, apartheid and even genocide are being levelled against its government.' Successive UK governments have sought to secure a more comprehensive trade deal with Israel, which officials argue would benefit tech and professional services firms. However, forging closer economic ties with Israel threatens to put several Labour seats at risk in the next general election in areas like Bradford, Birmingham and London. The party lost several seats to independents campaigning on Gaza at last July's vote. The UK exported £3.2bn worth of products to Israel last year, with pharmaceuticals, cars and power generators among the top exports. In return, Israel sold £2.5bn worth of goods and services to the UK, including vegetables, cleaning products and chemicals. However, other Labour backbenchers are opposed to boosting these links. Polly Billington, Labour MP for East Thanet, said: 'Given the horrors that continue to unfold in Gaza, I am deeply concerned about the possibility of trade discussions with Israel at the moment'. She demanded 'public reassurances from ministers that a trade deal is off the table' until a permanent ceasefire is brokered. Clive Lewis, the MP for Norwich South, said: 'It's one thing to wring your hands in anguish about what's happening and say there's very little that you can do whilst America has Trump in office. It's quite another thing to prioritise a trade deal with Israel. 'There'll be millions of people in this country who will be scratching their heads and who will be frankly angry at this. 'It's another example of the Labour Government not living up to what is expected from the values that it espouses to have.' He warned that voters would 'without doubt' punish the Government for making a deal with Israel. A government spokesperson said: 'We strongly oppose the expansion of Israel's operations. We want an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the urgent provision of humanitarian aid and a pathway to a political solution. 'We remain committed to securing the best trade deals that work for the UK, including with Israel.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
