Salmon farmers publish mortality data

SCOTLAND’S salmon farmers have published their monthly mortality figures on a farm-by-farm basis today for the first time in a move to improve transparency in the industry.
The data, which covers 100 per cent of Scottish salmon farms, shows that for the first four months of this year, survival rates on farms ranged between 98.5 and 99 per cent. Around 60 per cent of farms stocked with fish had less than one per cent mortality.
The reporting is believed to be a first among all farming sectors in the UK and is at the forefront of international reporting for salmon farming globally.
Julie Hesketh-Laird (pictured), chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers\’ Organisation (SSPO), said: ‘The health and welfare of salmon is hugely important to salmon farmers.
‘This regular, voluntary publication is unparalleled and sets a precedent for transparency in business reporting.
‘It sets a base line to show future trends and currently around two-thirds of active salmon farms have 99 per cent survival rates.
‘We hope this will be helpful to the progress of the collaborative Farmed Fish Health Framework initiative to further improve survival of salmon.’
The decision to publish such detailed farm-by-farm data was agreed on by salmon farmers ahead of the Scottish parliamentary inquiries into salmon farming and announced during one of the early evidence taking sessions in the spring.
The Scottish government\’s chief veterinary officer, Sheila Voas, said: ‘We welcome the fact that salmon farming is taking steps to be more open and transparent about the levels of mortality within the sector.
‘Of course, what is most important is that we all work together to tackle mortality of any level, in any sector, to help reduce it to an absolute minimum.
‘The recently published 10-year Farmed Fish Health Framework for Scotland is a progressive step towards that aim, bringing together producers, government and regulators to address the big issues in aquaculture.’
The published figures, collated on behalf of the industry by the SSPO, build on the longstanding reporting to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Marine Scotland.
The new reports provide monthly farm-by-farm statistics for use by the Scottish government’s Fish Health Inspectorate and scientists.
Additional information on the causes of mortality is also provided, including extreme weather incidents, jellyfish, algal blooms, marine predators and disease.
For the full results visit http://scottishsalmon.co.uk/salmon-survival-and-mortality-data/