Rob Edwards

Wild salmon 'under threat' from fish farms

from Sunday Herald, 30 March 2008

Scotland’s wild fish are increasingly being killed by lice leaking from salmon farms, new government research has revealed. But keeping them a safe distance apart has been deemed too costly and "logistically difficult" a solution.

A raft of internal reports from the Scottish government’s Fisheries Research Services (FRS) in Aberdeen and Pitlochry have uncovered strong evidence that sea lice from caged salmon contaminate fish in the wild - and that the problem seems to be getting worse.

Wild salmon at risk from the two million that got away

from Sunday Herald, 03 December 2006

Nearly two million salmon have escaped from fish farms in Scotland over the last six years, threatening wild salmon with chemical and genetic pollution.

The pollution could be tipping the king of fish into an "extinction vortex" from which it may never be able to recover, say environmentalists and anglers. They are demanding a "fundamental rethink".

Salmon farmers breaching pollution limits

from Sunday Herald, 01 October 2006

Salmon farmers across Scotland have breached pollution limits more than 400 times over the past three years, contaminating lochs and endangering wildlife.

Salmon farm code ‘fails to do enough for environment’

from Sunday Herald, 12 March 2006

RECOMMENDATIONS to reduce the environmental damage caused by fish farms have been ignored by the industry, according to a leaked account of a ministerial meeting.

Scientist vows: I will not back down over toxic salmon claim

from Sunday Herald, 29 February 2004

The Scottish fish farming industry has been accused of desperately trying to intimidate the scientists who raised the alarm about the dangers of eating salmon contaminated with toxic chemicals.

Scientists back toxic salmon study

from Sunday Herald, 18 January 2004

The US study that sparked the toxic salmon scare has been strongly defended by leading scientists following allegations from the fish farming industry that it was biased and flawed.

A fishy tale of salmon, dioxins and food safety

from New Scientist, 17 January 2004

The argument over whether farmed salmon is safe to eat has been as frenzied as the fish at feeding time. Not only has it alarmed the industry and confused the public, it has also left scientists at odds over how to assess food safety.

Spawning a new crisis

from Sunday Herald, 11 January 2004

Like Monty Python’s Flying Circus, the Scottish salmon farming industry always looks on the bright side of life. Being condemned by a devastating US study for producing salmon is so contaminated with toxic chemicals that it is dangerous to eat isn’t something that gets Scottish Quality Salmon (SQS) down. On the contrary, it seems to buoy it up.

Government scientists warned watchdog of salmon safety risk

from Sunday Herald, 11 January 2004

UK government scientists warned last year that people who followed the Food Standards Agency advice to eat one portion of salmon a week would breach the safety limit for toxic chemicals.

Farmed salmon more contaminated than wild

from New Scientist, 09 January 2004

Farmed salmon have significantly higher levels of toxic contaminants than salmon from the wild, US scientists have found.

Contamination by PCBs, dioxins and pesticides is on average 10 times higher in farmed salmon. The consequent health risks, such as a raised risk of cancer, could detract from the known health benefits of eating oily fish, the scientists warn.

US rejects ‘filthy’ Scottish salmon

from Sunday Herald, 30 November 2003

Salmon from Scottish fish farms have been banned from entering the United States because they are “filthy”, “insanitary” or contaminated with a bug that can cause fatal infections.

Food agency caught out over salmon labelling delay

from Sunday Herald, 15 June 2003

Supermarkets have been getting away without labelling salmon as farmed because of a failure by the government's food safety watchdog to alert local authorities to a change in the law.

Fish farming pollution is up by 100%

from Sunday Herald, 18 May 2003
 
The number of incidents in which fish farms have polluted rivers and lochs has doubled in the last year, according to new figures from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa).

Europe threat to ban 'toxic salmon'

from Sunday Herald, 15 December 2002
 
A toxic, cancer-causing chemical has been found in salmon from Scottish fish farms since it was banned by the government in June. The discovery could prompt legal action - and even a trade boycott - by the European Commission.

Farm salmon is now most contaminated food on shelf

from Sunday Herald, 20 October 2002
 
Farmed salmon is the most contaminated food sold by British supermarkets, according to a new analysis by government advisors.

Study proves cancer-link chemicals in farm salmon

from Sunday Herald, 07 July 2002
 
Salmon reared in cages around Scotland are contaminated with high levels of toxic chemicals suspected of causing cancer, according to an authoritative new study. The revelation has already sparked a call for consumers to boycott farmed fish.

Fish farmers 'blocked' vital safety study

from Sunday Herald, 28 April 2002
 
Salmon farmers impeded a major government investigation into the environmental damage they cause, according to a secret report obtained by the Sunday Herald.

Great salmon escape infects wild fish stocks

from Sunday Herald, 04 June 2000

The number of caged salmon escaping from fish farms has quadrupled in three years, threatening to devastate wild salmon populations with genetic pollution and disease.