SSPO denounces campaigners’ claims
The Scottish salmon farming industry has denounced campaigners’ claims about the numbers of seals shot around fish farms.
Responding to a new YouGov poll, Scott Landsburgh, Chief Executive of the industry’s trade body, Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation (SSPO), said today: “Scottish fish farmers are absolutely infuriated that these campaigners continue to peddle unfounded and utterly inaccurate information about how we safeguard our salmon from predators.
“Despite industry’s providing information to them, the media, the Scottish Government and politicians about the range of methods employed across the industry to deter predatory seals, the campaigners will not understand that they have simply no grounds to be making these damaging and misleading claims.
“It is also a highly misleading survey containing a series of leading questions designed to elicit a reaction. By deliberately implying that an officially sanctioned cull of seals has begun, this is an extraordinarily inaccurate representation of government policy.
“Salmon farmers have a moral and legal obligation to protect their fish and use a range of acoustic and netting methods to deter seals from attacking pens. One rogue seal can viciously kill many hundreds of fish in one attack. Sometimes, persistent rogue seals have to be shot in the same way foxes attacking chicken coops have to be. During 2008, the industry shot 489 seals in total.
“This is a highly responsible industry, working closely with regulators, international bodies and economic and environmental agencies, to enhance its already significant importance to Scotland’s economy, especially in fragile, rural communities. Everything we do is aimed at developing the industry in a positive and sustainable way. Ill-informed hysteria from campaigners is very unhelpful. ”
Notes to editors:
1. To view the YouGov poll click here.
2. A new scientific report from seal experts has noted that killer whales and competition for food from the more stable grey seal population could be partly responsible for the decline of Scotland's common seal numbers.
3. Speaking to the BBC, Callan Duck, of the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) at St Andrews University (advisers to the Scottish Government), said he believed it was legitimate in some circumstances to shoot seals around fish farms. He said: "If a seal is damaging a salmon cage and releasing salmon into the open water for a ready meal, then probably the only way to solve that problem is to remove the seal as once it has learned to access an easy food source it will keep doing it.”
4. Scotland hosts one of the world’s largest populations of seals. Seal experts at the SMRU estimate that the total seal population in Scotland has grown exponentially since the 1980s.
5. The SMRU also notes that the recent decline in the common seal populations is happening in many regions where there are no salmon farms, for example, Lothian, Dumfries and Galloway and the eastern coast of the northern Highlands.
6. Salmon farmers focus on the deterrence of predators. To protect our fish, all exclusion methods in the industry code of practice, which was developed with the support of seal experts, are explored.
7. Shooting is only considered as a last resort. This is undertaken by specialists, versed in the legal guidelines.
8. Continuing work to deter seals includes sharing best practice, updating farming guidance, development of acoustic deterrent measures, equipment investment and new net trials.
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For further information or high resolution images, contact Julie Edgar on 01738 587 010 / 0789 987 5151 or Ken Hughes, 01738 587 006 / 07974 173739.
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