Latest news with #Mowi
France 24
3 days ago
- General
- France 24
Meet the ‘kayak vigilante' fighting the Scottish salmon farming industry
Armed with a GoPro mounted on a telescopic pole, Staniford has been kayaking out to salmon farms for over six years. His mission: to film the circular cages holding tens of thousands of fish and expose what he calls "the horrors' of salmon farming. He then shares the footage across his social media platforms: People don't really know what's going on underneath the surface of the water, which is why it's very important for activists like me and others to film inside the cages and lift the lid to show the public what's really going on. Normally I'd kayak out very early in the morning. (...) It's a question of going to the farm when there are no workers. We don't harass workers, we don't intimidate workers. We're trying to film when no one else is there. We can have data on which farms have disease problems, which farms have deaths and mortalities, and target those farms. Staniford said he filmed around 60 salmon farms, predominantly in Scotland, as well as in Ireland and Denmark's Faroe Islands. 'The more fish you cram in a closed confinement space, the more diseases you get' Footage he captured during one of his excursions in September 2021 depicted dead fish floating on the surface, alongside others afflicted with raw flesh patches or swollen eyeballs. Staniford blames overcrowding for these conditions: You don't need to be a rocket scientist to work out that if you cram animals at high densities, you're going to get diseases. You're going to get viruses, parasites. The more fish you cram in a closed confinement space, the more diseases you get. And this is a function of intensive production. Among these parasites, Staniford says he has found sea lice, which feed on the skin and blood of salmon. Mass deaths In 2023, a record 17.4 million salmon died in Scottish farms, according to government data. The survival rate for juvenile salmon introduced two years earlier was 68.7%. The spokesperson for the industry group Salmon Scotland, Andrew Watson, told the FRANCE 24 Observers team that Scottish salmon farms had succeeded in improving survival rates in recent years. 'Following a £1 billion investment since 2018, we increased survival rates in 2024 to a four-year high. The Scottish salmon sector has delivered the best survival rates on record in the first quarter of 2025, averaging 99.02 per cent, while managing sea lice levels to an historic low,' Watson said. Initial 2024 data announced by the Scottish government in a January 17 report show no improvement in survival rates since 2018. Incidents have occurred in recent months, too. Videos released in June 2024 by activist group Animal Rising and filmed in northern Scotland appear to show fish suffering from burst eyeballs and skin wounds attributed to sea lice. Over one million farmed salmon also died in October 2024 at a Scottish farm operated by Norway's Mowi, the world's biggest producer of farmed salmon. It was the most significant mass die-off of farmed salmon in Scotland in a decade. While Mowi attributed the deaths to jellyfish blooms exacerbated by unprecedented sea temperature rises, campaigners have linked the incidents to the expansion of aquaculture farms and poor welfare. Salmon-farming companies routinely dismiss footage from Staniford and other activists as "selective" and "isolated examples", often attributing damage to external factors. Parliamentary inquiry However, the Scottish authorities themselves are taking up the issue. On January 17, 2025, the Rural Affairs and Islands (RAI) Committee of the Scottish Parliament published a report stemming from an inquiry conducted between April and December 2024. This followed the publication of a first inquiry in 2018. 'The Committee is disappointed by figures showing that mortality has not improved since the 2018 report,' the 2025 report stated. 'The Committee considers the current level of mortality to be too high in general across the sector, and it is very concerned to note the extremely high mortality rates at particular sites,' it also reads. While acknowledging some industry improvements, the Committee wrote it was 'concerned that preventing high mortality events is not currently within the operational capability of industry' and called for 'far greater transparency in reporting mortality rates and disease outbreaks'. The Committee also noted the impact of salmon farming on the global environment. Staniford says the effects of salmon farming go far beyond the boundaries of the farms themselves: The salmon farming industry discharges the waste effluent directly into the sea, which is sewage contamination. It also uses toxic chemicals. There are mass escapes from the farms that cause genetic contamination. And there's also the feed issue. Far from being a panacea for the world's food problem, we're actually overfishing. We're actually contributing to the crisis in world fisheries by fishing down the food chain. Injunctions The salmon farming industry takes a dim view of Staniford's activities. Scotland is the world's third-largest producer of Atlantic salmon, after Chile and Norway, making salmon farming a significant industry in the country. According to industry data, international sales of Scottish salmon reached £844 million (€1,000 million) in 2024, solidifying its standing as the U.K.'s largest food export. France remains the first export market, accounting for 55% of the total value of all Scottish salmon exports. Staniford is currently facing legal action from three prominent Norwegian and Faroese salmon-farming companies. The companies say his intrusions onto their facilities are unauthorised and present significant safety risks to both their personnel and fish stocks. Two of these companies successfully obtained an injunction in 2024, legally barring him from accessing the walkways of their salmon pens. Although Staniford indicated in November 2024 that he was considering retirement, he now appears more determined than ever to continue his fight: I'd love to retire. I'm 53. I'm too old; I don't want to be kayaking out to farms, and I don't want to be leaving my children on weekends. But if nobody else will do it, I will do it. In terms of retiring, if I'm banned from 75% of salmon farms in Scotland, then my job is done here. But maybe I'll just emigrate to Tasmania, Canada, Chile, or even France. They may be able to shut me down legally and have injunctions against me in Scotland. But maybe my retirement in Scotland will pave the way for me to move to another jurisdiction
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mowi ASA: Ex-dividend NOK 1.70 today
The shares in Mowi ASA will be traded ex-dividend of NOK 1.70 as from today 23 May 2025. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
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
BBC News
20-05-2025
- BBC News
Skye salmon farm suspended by RSPCA 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 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 urged the RSPCA to suspend the company's 54 other salmon farms in Scotland, which are still certified under the charity's Assured labelling 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. 'Extremely upsetting' The RSPCA is investigating the fish farm rather than SSPCA because the salmon is sold under one of its has now instructed supermarkets to remove Mowi salmon products from their 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 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 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. 'Humane method' 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.
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.
