Sandison

If you would like to examine evidence of the impact that escaped farm fish have on a river system and its wild fish, then type <Burrishoole report> into your web browser; a 10 year study by Irish scientists into that matter.

Thanks for that response, and I am sure that you do exactly what you say you do and try to produce the best farm fish that you can. My primary concern is that wild salmonid stocks in the West Higlands and Islands of Scotland are being driven to extinction by the impact of fish farm disease and pollution, particularly by sea lice from these farms. To save our wild fish, and to protect our marine and freshwater environment, these farms have to be removed from our coastal and freshwater lochs. If it is possible and profitable to farm barramundi in the New Forest (Aquabella Plc) and tilapia near Ely in Cambridgeshire (UK Tilapia Ltd), then there is no reason why salmon should not be reared in the same way. Bruce Sandison

I can't, with respect, accept the 1:1 figure because I have never seen any indpendent verification of it. Even if it were true, what is the point of using one tonne wild fish to produce one tonne of fake fish? On artificial stocking of rivers, my view is that to do so is a sign of failure. Management and habitat improvement is the key to a river's health. Bruce Sandison

My advice, if you are starting to learn to cast from square one, would be to buy as long a garden cane as you can find. Tie a length of string to the top, and, in the garden, get used to the action and technique of using the cane to cast the string. One you have mastered that, you should be able to cast with any rod, regardless of the price of the rod. I think that, sometimes, begining with a professionally designed and manufactured rod, is detrimental, rather than and aid, to learning how to cast. Modern rods are so well-designed that they do most of the work for you, once you understand them, and, as such, 'hide' from you the basic techniques that you really need to know. When you do buy a rod, then, by all means buy the best that you can afford, and get casting lessons from a professional. If you have spare cash, then invest it in the reel, rather than in the rod. As described above is how I began fishing. My first 'proper' rod was a 12ft greenheart, and for the past thirty years I have, happily, used a built cane rod. Each to his own, but as has already been mentioned, spending a lot of money of a rod will not, magically, make you into a better angler. Enjoy every moment of this well-loved passtime and good luck in all you do. Bruce

Letter to Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department Minister. Dear Mr Finnie I am concerned by the contradictory nature of the response I have received to my request under the Freedom of Information Act in connection with the disposal of dead salmon at a site in North Uist, Western Isles. Mr Ken Wilson, in the SEERAD Benbecula Office, informed me on 22nd June (after a delay of 16 days), "I will now forward your original request to them [central unit in Edinburgh]". However, the following day I received an entirely different reply, copied below. The extent of the damage that has been done to the machair and sand dunes at the site, and the procedures being used there to bury dead salmon are a cause for serious alarm. I included with my email to Ken Wilson photographs I had taken at the site during a visit I made 31st May/3rd June. In spite of that, Mr Wilson has said that he has no intention of inspecting the site until "later this year." Might I ask you now to be so good as to have your SEERAD colleagues respond to my request for information under the Act? Yours sincerely Bruce Sandison * A full report of my visit and the phototographs mentioned above can be seen on www.salmonfarmmonitor.org ************************************************* Received from Mr Ken Wilson, SEERAD Benbecula Office, 23rd June 2005 Mr Sandison, We have further considered your request below and given our minimal input have decided not to treat it as a formal FOI request but rather give you an informal reply on the points raised. I should make it clear that my responses relate only to agricultural and environmental issues and suggest that you raise any fishing related issues with our fisheries inspectorate. We have had no input whatsoever into the establishment of this dump. We have not inspected the site and have had no call to do so. As we have not inspected we are not in a position to comment While the site is within the ESA boundaries there are currently no Tier 2 management payments being made on it. It is in a plan and subject to Tier 1 prescriptions and will be inspected later this year as part of our routine inspection procedures. If there are any issues of concern we will deal with them at that stage. Hope the above is of some help in the meantime. Ken Wilson ************************************************* Received from Mr Ken Wilson, SEERAD Benbecula Office, 22nd June 2005 Mr Sandison, Sorry for the delay in replying but I have been out of the office quite a lot recently. FOI requests have to be submitted to our central unit in Edinburgh and I will now forward your original request to them. Hopefully you won’t have too much of a wait for a formal reply. Ken Wilson -----Original Message----- From: Bruce Sandison [mailto:bruce@hysbackie.freeserve.co.uk] Sent: 20 June 2005 12:49 To: SEERAD Benbecula Subject: Fw: Freedom of Information Act - Disposal of dead farm salmon Importance: High I am concerned that I have yet to receive a reply to my previous emails under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act. Would you please be so kind as to acknowledge the receipt of this further email? Bruce Sandison ----- Original Message ----- From: Bruce Sandison To: SEERAD.Benbecula@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 4:04 PM Subject: Fw: Freedom of Information Act - Disposal of dead farm salmon Would you please be so kind as to confirm that you have received my email dated 6th June and copied below? Bruce Sandison ----- Original Message ----- From: Bruce Sandison To: SEERAD.Benbecula@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Sent: Monday, June 06, 2005 9:23 AM Subject: Freedom of Information Act - Disposal of dead farm salmon OS Map 18, Gd Ref: 737664, Bayhead, Whiteshore Cockles Will you tell me, please, what, if any, input SEERAD had into the establishment of this dump site. Has SEERAD inspected the site and, if so, when? Will SEERAD please comment on the extensive damage done to the dunes and machair at this disposal site. Will SEERAD please say what action they propose to take to protect the ESA integrity of this site. Yours sincerely Bruce Sandison Hysbackie, Tongue, by Lairg, Sutherland IV27 4XJ. Tel: 01847 611274

THE SALMON FARM PROTEST GROUP www.salmonfarmmonitorr.org June edition online now! ADVERTISING STANDARDS AGENCY COUNCIL FIND IN FAVOUR OF FISH FARMS AND FAKE SALMON After ten months, the Advertising Standards Authority Council (ASA) has rejected complaints from the Salmon Farm Protest Group (SFPG) about claims made by Scottish Quality Salmon (SQS) in adverts promoting their members’ farms and environmental practices. The Council judgement includes the statement, “The Authority considered that the advertisers had shown that their members’ salmon farms were different from other salmon farms in Scotland, because of their adherence to a very high standard of fish health, welfare and environmental management that was independently audited.” SSPG chairman Bruce Sandison commented, “If during that time the ASA had bothered to investigate the claims made by SQS for their members’ farms and environmental management, they would have found a very different story, as I did when I visited South Uist and North Uist in the Western Isles from 31st May until 3rd June. THE SALMON KILLER DISEASE THAT NEVER WAS - BRUCE SANDISON REPORTS FROM A FAKE FISH DISPOSAL DUMP ON NORTH UIST AND THE MARINE HARVEST SITE AT LOCH SHEILAVAIG ON SOUTH UIST “The most recent activity was at the north end of the dump, where it also seemed to have spilled over and extended onto adjacent land. A huge heap of sand drew my attention. It enclosed a pond of slurry. As I came downwind of the pile and caught the smell from it, my stomach churned and I doubled over to be wretchedly sick. The whole area reminded me of a scene from the 1917 Battle of Passchendale; the broken barbwire fences, the crude marker posts stuck in the sand, the appalling smell of death and decay, and the clouds of flies. How could anybody, I thought, allow this to happen? How could Marine Harvest, or any other fish farmer who used the dump, pretend that they cared for the environment?” GUEST COLUMN BY DAVID SUSUKI, INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED ENVIRONMENTALIST ROD MCGILL CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF FISH FARMS FROM SCOTTISH COASTAL WATERS Read all the stories on www.salmonfarmmonitor.org now!

No, Jim, I don't, same for the likes of Loch Heilen in Caithness, West Loch Ollay on South Uist and Loch Bea on the Island of Sanday in Orkney, and others. My principal reason for saying so has to do with the availability of food in these waters, which is plentiful, and the absence of charr, a primary prey species for ferox trout. As a matter of interest, a previous British Record charr came from Loch Borralie, another of the Durness limestone waters (a fish of, if I remember correctly about 1lb 12oz). There were reports a few years ago from Irish fisheries scientists carrying out an underwater survey on Borralie of seeing trout of enormous size. The loch is over 100ft deep. I tend to think that these fish are probably ferox. I agree with you that we probably do catch juvenile ferox, but are not aware of doing so. It would be almost impossible to tell, surely? Finally, I suggest that the 3lb + charr being caught in the Inverness-shire Garry system is as a result of additional food being found by them in the vicinity of fish farm cages? Bruce

Corydoras I'm not sure either, I suppose, but I have tried to find out, by exploring and reading available literature and reports on the subject. Have you contacted any fisheries scientists and put your question re juvenile ferox trout to them? Bruce

Corydoras Yup, right, there is still debate over this issue. But in the same way that each salmon population is genetically distinct, I believe that this also applies to ferox trout. Yes, ferox are a sub-species of Salmo trutta, but, genetically, each population is distinct in its own right? "Research into the genetics of ferox trout, has shown them to be genetically distinct from other trout in some lochs (for example Lough Melvin, Ireland), but recent unpublished research from a variety of Scottish lochs has shown that this is not the case in all populations. Data from Loch Rannoch samples, for example, have shown that a wide genetic variability exists within its ferox population." Extracted from a report published by the Scottish Executive Fisheries Research Services freshwater lab at Pitlochry

RE: ferox The old Scottish method of fishing for ferox was 'trolling', with dead bait. Sometimes, in the autumn, or in the early months of the season, they might take a fly. Loch Rannoch is one such location, and Loch Veyatie in Wester Ross. Ron Greer's book 'Ferox Trout and Arctic Char' is, in my view, perhaps the best guide? Ferox are unique, in that they have survived genetically intact in northern waters throughout the world, since the end of the last Ice Age.

Great news from the EU – it looks almost certain that an immediate ban will be introduced on all sandeel fishing in the North Sea (P&J today), and, from today’s P&J, those damned sharks are at it again… "A rare species of shark has been caught in Scots waters. The female sharpnose seven-gill shark, heptranchias perlo, was captured 100 miles north of Cape Wrath in a fishing boat net being trawled at 656ft, on May 31. Scientists from the Fisheries Research Marine Laboratory, in Aberdeen, who made the discovery, said the species is not common in any ocean and extremely rare in Scottish waters. It is normally found in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate waters. The female shark, considered harmless to humans although care when handling it has to be taken because it is aggressive, was nearly 3ft in length and weighed 5.21b. Prof Monty Priede, director of Aberdeen University’s Ocean Laboratory~ said the species was very rare because there is only one seven-gilled shark species in existence. “Most sharks like the Great White have five gills and a few species have six. This species is a hangover from evolution and is not supposed to venture north of the Bay of Biscay.” Asked if global warming could be to blame for its displacement, he replied: “We do get warm flows of deep water from the Mediterranean around the outside of Ireland and round the west coast of Scotland and up to Shetland. “I would suspect that this shark has been swimming along this current in the dark and found its way to the north of Scotland and into this net.” The sharpnose sevengill shark is usually found on or near the bottom of the sea on outer continental shelves at depths from 98ft to 3,280ft. The name sharpnose distinguishes the fish from a dose relative, the broadnose seven-gill shark, notorynchus cepedianus. Despite its small size, the species is a voracious predator and feeds on crabs, lobsters and squid as well as small fish including other sharks." Also, Chris, good to read your posts. Honest. Bruce

Dear Sportsman Just in case we should, well, you know, meet sometime and share the same table, do you take milk and sugar in your cuppa? Bruce

Sportsman "..will you join me in this research?" So I take it that that's a no? Bruce

'Can' the childish semantics. This is 'put your money where you mouth is' time. The points raised in this thread re pike are important. Together, we could address the issue and, perhaps, produce an account of the why's, wherefore's and the if's and the but's. I would be happy to be involved in, a) reasoned debate, b)serious research, c)consideration of that which we may or may not uncover. My start point is: I value and appreciate the species [pike]. I would defend their right to exist as vigorously as I would defend the integrity of salmon, dace, bream, chubb and wild brown trout. I am not interested in 'point-scoring'. Therefore, I will look at the question, if indeed it is a valaid question, of why/how pike appear in Scottish waters to the north of, where? let's begin with, say, Dalwhinnie? I will speak to 'ancients', and ask the readers of the newspaper columns I write for to help. Also the Marine Lab at Faskally, Pitlochry for their views, lairds, anyone and everyone else I can think of. So, if you want to be involved, cut the crap and do something positive. Argyll/Sportsman, what about you both beginning, with an examination of the writings of Charles St John, Osgood Mackenzie, Tom Tod Stoddart, et el., to see if they talked about pike in the rivers and lochs that they fished during the 19th century? Why, for instance, are there pike in Lewis lochs? Were they introduced? Might it have any relationship to the, then, vogue for educating Highland lairds in English schools, to supress the Gaeilic 'threat'? Could it have anything to do with the fact that pike was a much-coveted food, enjoyed only by the wealthy during the Middle Ages? It is not sufficient to respond by saying "the evidence is anecdotal at best". I have no time for such nonsense - I hear too much of it already from politicans. I expect better from fellow anlgers. Now, you lot, either put up or shut up. I am prepared to work on this, seriously, and, I believe that we could, maybe, produce something of value. Will you join me in this research? Bruce

Sportsman I understand that pike were introduced into the Inverness-shire Garry system by disgruntled anglers who objected to paying to fish these waters. I had this explanation for the presence of pike in Loch Garry, Loch Inchlaggan and Loch Poulary and Loch Loyne more than 20 years ago from three different sources: a River Garry gillie,the late Jock McCaskill, the people who ran the guest house at Garry Gullach, and from a previous owner of the Tomdoun Hotel. You might not like what I have said, but I have no reason to believe that it is not true; these things happen, i.e. Loch Lomond infested with ruff. In the meantime, what information can you offer to show that pike are indigenous to the Garry system? Bruce

Dear Argyll and Sportsman Pike, and sharks, have a right, beyond that which you or I might think, or not think, to exist in this world... other than for our vicarious 'pleasure' ? Source: PRETOMA Posted by: PRETOMA - archive Posted on: Jun 7, 2005 @ 6:09 pm[printer-friendly] • • • PRESS RELEASE • • • CONTACT: Randall Arauz, President PRETOMA TEL: +(506) 241-5227 FAX: +(506) 236-6017 info@tortugamarina.org Report Confirms Sharks Disappearing off Costa Rica June 7, 2005 – San Jose, Costa Rica According to a report released June 3, 2005 by the government of Japan at the Ninth Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), 120 Taiwanese vessels were recently conducting shark-finning operations offshore Costa Rica, Honduras and Mexico, but the abundance of shark resources in the region declined rapidly. As a result, these Taiwanese shark finners shifted their operations to offshore Pakistan and India in the Indian Ocean in 2004. However, the operations in these areas came to an end because of tight surveillance activities by Navies and Coast Guards of these coastal countries. The vessels then moved to the east coast of Africa where controls are insufficient, and these vessels are even poaching in the territorial waters of coastal countries, sometimes within three or four miles from the coastline. This report confirms what PRETOMA and many other national and international organizations, as well as national fishermen, have been saying for years; that Taiwanese shark finning vessels operating in the region are depleting shark stocks. The Japan report also demonstrates that Taiwanese shark finners not only seek out the few areas where sharks still remain, but also where fisheries controls are scarce or non-existent, in order to maintain the profitability of the operation. Costa Rica is a prime example of how shark finners benefit from scarce or non-existent controls. The Costa Rican Customs Department does not enforce Articles 211 and 212 of the Customs Law, which mandate all landings by foreign vessels must occur at public docks. Customs instead allows these vessels to land at private docks where, due to their private nature, Coast Guard officers do not have free access to inspect. Currently 15 to 30 international longline vessels, mainly Taiwanese, continue to land shark fins and other fishery products illegally at private docks each month. By ignoring its own law and allowing the use of private docks, Customs facilitates Taiwanese vessels landing shark fins. “It’s no wonder that many Taiwanese vessels continue to land shark fins in Costa Rica,” states Randall Arauz, President of PRETOMA. “The Costa Rican Customs and National Fisheries Institute (INCOPESCA) have a history of not enforcing controls against shark finning. All Costa Rica needs to do in order to truly halt shark finning is to enforce existing Customs laws and close all loopholes in other regulations. Unfortunately, Customs and INCOPESCA, rather than enforce current laws, prefer to create loopholes wherever possible,” explains Arauz. “For one month, between November and December of 2004, Customs finally applied the law and ordered foreign vessels to land at public docks,” notes Jorge Ballestero, Vice President of PRETOMA. “However, the Taiwanese shark finning interests quickly complained, the Customs Director was immediately replaced, and by January 2005 Taiwanese vessels were landing at private docks once again. Taiwanese shark finning interests dictate Costa Rican fishery policy, and as long as they are allowed to land at private docks in violation of our Customs Law, not even the positive measures against shark finning in the new Fishery Law will be applicable, causing further damage to already depleted shark populations.” In addition to the IOTC report (http://www.tortugamarina.org/images/stories/pdf/iotc.pdf) various other studies show that sharks are disappearing from the region and this is having drastic effects on local fisheries: • A report by PRETOMA shows relative abundance of sharks dropped 60% between 1991 and 2001. • Global research shows shark populations have declined globally 90% during the last 50 years (http://www.tortugamarina.org/images/stories/pdf/myerswormnature1.pdf). • Data from 1994 shows that Costa Rican vessels were using 0.86 liters of fuel to catch one kilo of product. By 2003 that number had more than doubled to 1.99 liters of fuel to catch one kilo of product (source: INCOPESCA). PRETOMA (Programa Restauración de Tortugas Marinas) is a Costa Rican non-profit, non-governmental, marine conservation organization that works to promote responsible fisheries and protect sea turtles, sharks and marine biodiversity. PRETOMA is a member of the IUCN. Contact info@tortugamarina.org / www.tortugamarina.org.

Kreid We live on the north coast of Sutherland. Thus I consider northern lochs to be, essentially, the lochs of Caithness, Sutherland, Orkney and Shetland. Bruce

Thanks, Argyll, much appreciated. Might I ask, please, how do you know that "Scottish coastal waters have always had their fair share of sharks" ? For instance, what is a "fair share of sharks" ? Bruce

Dear Paul Are we not, each and every one of us, our own worst enemies? We bring things upon ourselves. If we don't bring things upon ourselves, then who does - some sort of science fiction accident? Right or wrong is, eventually, a matter of opinion, maybe? All that I have discovered in my life is that I have not discovered a lot. Least of all, how to tempt that glass-case specimen in that lochan to rise to my fly. I blame the reed bed that prevents me getting my fly into his/her vision Still, good to try, eh? Bruce PS: How old are you? I'm kicking 70.

Argyll, re: " 'Do salmon farms attract sharks?' No but they seem to attract more than their fair share of desperately stupid people." With respect, Argyll, if you put breadcrumbs out in your garden, are you surprised that they attract birds? If birds are attracted, are you then surprised that these birds attract the attention of cats? If there is an abundence of, say, Mayfly, on a river, are you surprised that they attract trout? If there is a high rabbit population in an area, are you surprised to notice that there is also, generally, a high number of buzzards and other species of raptor? Why do you think that cormorants and goosanders are attracted to stocked fisheries? There is growing evidence that fish farms attract sharks. This does not surprise me. Bruce

Thanks for that, Jaffa - as far as I am concerned that is the end of the matter - and I very much hope to be able to continue reading your posts - best wishes, Bruce

Jaffa, You claim that the Salmon Farm Monitor says, “..eating farmed salmon will kill poison you..” And you are wise not to disclose your name and address. If you did, the SFPG would sue your cowardly balls off for slander. Still lookin', my friend... Bruce Sandison Hysbackie Tongue by Lairg Sutherland IV27 4XJ Tel: 01847 611274 Fax: 01847 611 262 Mobile: 07974 863 814

Sportsman, Now found the comments made by me that gave you offence. They were made, over the telephone, to the writer of the article. They amount to approximately 80 words in an article of some 1380 words, over which I had no editorial control and did not see until publication. You might well have been offended by the tone the article took, and you have every right to be so offended, but to blame me for something I didn't write, or for views expressed by others over which I have no control, is, I think, unfair. I confirm again here that I would be: "greatly concerned if anybody maliciously introduced pike into these waters," as indeed I think you would be also. Bruce Rogue anglers threatening fish stocks with pike: Kurt Bayer, The Scotsman, Sunday 16th May 2004 "Greer’s views were echoed by leading fishing writer and journalist Bruce Sandison. He said: "I have no knowledge of any indigenous species of pike in our northern lochs, but they have definitely spread. There are now pike to be found in Loch Garry, Loch Loyne and waters in Wester Ross - all placed there by anglers. "It would concern me greatly if anybody maliciously introduced pike into these waters, because it does irreparable damage to the natural environment. There is no law in Scotland that prevents people from introducing other species, although there is in England and Wales. That seems to me to be very remiss on the part of the Scottish Executive not to address this issue."