02 Jun 2026
Photo by Craig Thomas Millions of fish deaths at Scottish salmon farms have been made public after the government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) was ordered to release its inspection reports following a ruling by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). APHA had refused to disclose the reports, arguing that publication would “likely result in […]
31 Mar 2026
Photo by Maja R Scotland’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee has sharply criticised the Scottish Government for failing to deliver urgent reforms to salmon farming regulation, warning that progress since its 2025 inquiry has been “disappointing.” In a letter sent to Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon on 25 March, signed by Convener Finlay Carson MSP, the […]
17 Mar 2026
Photo by Bob Brewer The Scottish Government has concluded that no new regulation is needed to address fish mortality on salmon farms, following the publication of a Marine Directorate research report into persistent elevated deaths at marine sites. The finding, presented to the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 11 March, has […]
24 Feb 2026
Photo by Simon Hurry Shetland Islands Council has approved what will become the UK’s largest salmon farm, giving the green light to Scottish Sea Farms’ (SSF) Fish Holm development in Yell Sound on 11 February. The £8 million site will comprise 12 pens of 160-metre circumference with a maximum standing biomass of 6,000 tonnes, triple the […]
01 Jun 2021
A series of emails, released under the Freedom of Information Act, and reported by investigative news site, The Ferret, in March suggest the Scottish government appears to be smoothing the path for CleanTreat – a system that uses the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid to rid farmed salmon of sea lice, to be accepted for regulatory approval in […]
28 Jan 2019
Live Wrasse Fishery Research Report 2018 The implementation of a fully documented live wrasse fishery is now in its second year with the season opening in July 2018. Four commercial vessels operate within the Devon & Seven IFCA district targeting ballan, goldsinny, corkwing and rock cook. Devon & Severn IFCA officers have been undertaking on-board […]
17 Sep 2018
The Scottish Government are hoping to double the scale of salmon farming but the opposition is mounting. Don Staniford has often been a lone voice opposing the industry but now many others are joining in to raise the concerns. This One Show coverage is particularly telling. Watch the BBC One Show reporting (10 September 2018) […]
06 Mar 2017
The long standing issues of sea lice infestations on farmed salmon have reached epidemic proportions. The use of natural cleaners species is an attractive option – relative to the use of chemical treatments – but is has given rise to this new fishery for live wrasse in the south-west. John Hepburn has kindly produced this […]