Press Release By The Salmon Farm Protest Group

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has announced a £5 million pound plan to protect at-risk species, but has excluded from that plan Scotland’s beleaguered West Highlands and Islands wild salmon and sea-trout – species that have survived in Scottish waters since the end of the last Ice Age. The Salmon Farm Protest Group (SFPG) honestly believes that these wild salmonids are being driven to extinction by disease and pollution from fish farms.

SFPG chairman Bruce Sandison said: “Salmon-packed fish farm cages act as a magnet for sea lice and sea lice breed in salmon farm cages in their billions. Sea lice are free-swimming and move on tidal currents. As wild salmon and sea-trout pass by fish farm cages they can be attacked by clouds of sea lice. As few as 12/15 sea lice can kill a wild fish.”

“Sea-trout are at greater risk because, unlike salmon, they do not migrate vast distances. Sea-trout usually stay close to the shore and near to the rivers that gave them birth. As such, they are exposed to more constant sea lice attack, not only from cages at the mouths of their home rivers, but also from other salmon farms in the vicinity.”

According to its website www.snh.org.uk SNH says, “Our basic philosophy is simple: we must care for and sustain our natural heritage if we want it to sustain us. Our task is to secure the conservation and enhancement of Scotland’s unique and precious natural heritage – the wildlife, the habitats and the landscapes which have evolved in Scotland through the long partnership between people and nature.”

Bruce Sandison commented, “I welcome the SNH the initiative to try to protect black grouse, capercaillie, great crested newts, white-front geese, red squirrels, vendace, Scots wildcats hen harrier, red deer, European beavers and butterflies and moths, but if the way in which SNH has secured the conservation and enhancement of Scotland’s West Highlands and Islands wild salmon and sea-trout is anything to go by, then I have grave doubts about their ability to protect any at-risk Scottish species.”

For more information about the work of the SFPG see www.salmonfarmmonitor.org

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