Salmon farmer ‘ensuring welfare’: SPCA

A SCOTTISH salmon farm targeted by activists has been given the all-clear by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Loch Roag on the isle of Lewis was inspected by the Scottish SPCA after officers received images of unhealthy fish, allegedly photographed at the site.
Managers at the farm, which belongs to the Scottish Salmon Company, invited the SPCA to visit the site after they were notified of the images, taken by an anti-salmon farm campaigner who had gained access to the pens without permission.
Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: ‘We can confirm we were alerted to a salmon farm on the Isle of Lewis.
‘Our senior inspector on the islands spent several days investigating the concerns that had been raised and the owners cooperated fully.
‘The fish involved have been receiving treatment and all measures possible are being taken to ensure their welfare.’
The SSC said in a statement last week: ‘Following the submission of video footage purportedly of fish at one of our sites on the Western Isles, the SSPCA spent several days inspecting our operations in the area.
‘An inspection of this kind relating to the welfare of our fish is unprecedented, but we cooperated fully throughout.
‘The SSPCA has now confirmed that it will be taking no further action. It was wholly satisfied that, as a company, we are taking all possible steps to protect the welfare of our fish and effectively deal with the naturally occurring issue of sea lice.
‘The Animal and Plant Health Agency also visited our site this week and, similarly, found that the actions required were already in place.’
Craig Anderson (pictured), managing director of the SSC, had earlier told Fish Update that activists breaking into farms raised issues about biosecurity.
‘When people are so angry that they want to put their own lives at risk and put our fish and the biosecurity of our fish at risk, it’s a serious matter,’ he said.
‘It’s unprofessional, it’s possibly illegal and we’ll look into it further.’