RSPCA ASSURED REINSTATEMENT OF SCOTTISH SALMON FARMS

RSPCA assured reinstatement of Scottish salmon farms – SSPO comment. Tavish Scott, Chief Executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) said:

“Each of the Scottish salmon farms subjected to unfounded allegations of welfare breaches by the campaigning group CIWF have been thoroughly investigated and given unequivocal bills of clean health. All sites were physically visited and inspected by RSPCA Assured auditors, in addition to extensive reviews of the information initially received. No evidence was found to support the claims made by anti-fish farm activists and RSPCA Assured certification for the sites has been reinstated with immediate effect.”

Mr Scott added:

“Our farmers maintain exemplary standards of fish health and welfare which is why we were adamant that there was no substance to any of these distorted and exaggerated claims. We respect the role that RSCPA Assured plays in keeping our standards high with their unannounced inspections, with auditors welcome on any farm, at any time.”

The SSPO issued a statement in response to the Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) report published in March:

Tavish Scott, CEO of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) said:

“There are key parts of this report which are wrong, inaccurate and misleading – claims we would have pointed out to CIWF, had they approached anybody in the Scottish salmon farming sector before publishing it. 
“Salmon farming one of the country’s greatest environmental and economic success stories. The Scottish salmon sector has built itself up from a small crofting side-line to the UK’s biggest food export in just 50 years, in doing so it has created thousands of well-paid jobs in some of Scotland’s most fragile rural areas and is producing a protein with one of the lowest carbon footprints around.
“We are extremely proud of the support given to us by consumers, global fish-welfare accreditation bodies and governments – all of whom appreciate the healthy, nutritious and sustainable food we produce.”

Farms belonging to Mowi, Scottish Sea Farms, The Scottish Salmon Company, Cooke Aquaculture Scotland and Grieg Seafood Shetland were criticised in the CIWF report.

On 25^th March the SSPO issued a press release positively encouraging the RSPCA Assured animal welfare programme to fully utilise their right for official auditors check any Scottish salmon farm, at any time, without advance notice. https://www.scottishsalmon.co.uk/news/press-release/scottish-salmon-sector-invites-auditors-in-to-check-fish-health-and-welfare

Scottish salmon is the country’s biggest food export and provides direct employment for 2,500 people and supports at least 10,000 jobs in the processing and supply chain.