Court upholds farm ban for activist, but reduces its scope

Staniford’s original undertaking was given in response to a court case brought by Scottish Sea Farms (SSF) to prevent him trespassing on SSF farms sites. He has frequently carried out covert, unauthorised visits to fish farms to collect what he argues is evidence of bad practice, and has published video footage on numerous occasions.

The new undertaking was made following a decision by the Sheriff Appeal Court in Edinburgh over a parallel interdict brought by Mowi Scotland. The Appeal Court, in November last year, rejected Don Staniford’s appeal but removed the restrictions that would have prevented him from approaching within 15 metres of Mowi sites, “encouraging others” to do likewise and flying drones over Mowi farms.

The new undertaking in relation to SSF follows the Appeal Court’s decision, lifting the ban on drone flying and the 15 meter no-go zone, but retaining the key stipulation that Staniford may not “board, enter onto, physically occupy, attach himself to, or attach vessels to, all structures, docks, walkways, buildings, floats or pens of the aquaculture farming sites [operated by SSF].”

Stanford said afterwards: “Norwegian giant Scottish Sea Farms – trading in Scotland as Norskott Havbruk – is still desperately trying to fence off the public waters around their lousy salmon farms. Judged by covert surveillance inside salmon farms across Scotland it’s not surprising that this Leroy/SalMar owned company has engaged expensive lawyers to suppress the ugly truth. 

“If Scottish Sea Farms want to enforce a permanent injunction – along the lines of Mowi’s or even more restrictive – then they will have to fight me in open court. I look forward to debating the public’s right to know what’s really going on inside RSPCA Assured salmon farms and the law around chattel trespass. 

“Ground-truthing the greenwash of salmon farms is clearly in the public interest. Unlike salmon farmers, the camera never lies.”