Parliament Workbench

Petition · PE01598 · Session 4

Protecting wild salmonids from sea lice from Scottish salmon farms

Closed Submitted 13 Jan 2016 Rural Affairs
Signatures
1
4,382 online signatures with a country
Comments
431
Considered
7 meetings
in the Official Report

What it asks

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to strengthen Scottish legislative and regulatory control of marine fish farms to protect wild salmonids of domestic and international conservation importance.

What the petitioner did first

Since the passage of the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2013, during which we gave both written and oral evidence to the Rural Affairs Climate Change and Environment Committee, Salmon & Trout Conservation Scotland (S&TCS) has corresponded with Scottish Ministers and Marine Scotland, but has become increasingly disappointed at the 'business as usual' response to the need for a more robust approach to ensure the protection of wild salmonids from harm caused by the fish-farming industry.
We have communicated with and met with Marine Scotland on a number of occasions to exchange views, but without noting any significant progress or change in the regulation of the salmon farming industry by Scottish Government.

Where it was considered

Official Report
  1. 16 Jun 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Work Programme
    2 mentions
  2. 30 Jun 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    New Petitions
    1 mention
  3. 29 Sep 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  4. 26 Oct 2016
    Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee
    Public Petitions
    1 mention
  5. 14 Dec 2016
    Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee
    Public Petitions
    1 mention
  6. 21 Jun 2017
    Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee
    Petition
    1 mention
  7. 12 Dec 2018
    Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee
    Petition
    1 mention

Signatures by country

4,382 online signatures
  1. England1,819 41.5%
  2. Scotland1,202 27.4%
  3. United Kingdom908 20.7%
  4. Wales172 3.9%
  5. Northern Ireland58 1.3%
  6. Ireland48 1.1%
  7. United States22 0.5%
  8. Netherlands15 0.3%
  9. Canada14 0.3%
  10. France13 0.3%
  11. 41 other countries111 2.5%

Comments

431 comments, oldest first
431 comments · showing 1–50
  1. Andrew Barker 15 Jan 2016
    Full closed containment is, additionally to control of sea lice, vitally important to stop the massive numbers and disastrous consequences of escapees from fishfarms cross breeding with wild salmon. e.g 16,000 fish escaping from Carradale in June 2015.
  2. Robert White 16 Jan 2016
    I believe that sea lice is the main cause of the decline in West Coast salmon & Seatrout stocks. Other factors such as PD in salmon farms is part of the problem. Control of farming salmon is essential if recovery is to be possible. I do fear that action might be too late for some seatrout systems. Loch Maree being the classic example.
  3. Anthony Jackson 17 Jan 2016
    I fully support this petition and urge the Scottish Government to make changes to this industry which has decimated our wild Salmon and Sea Trout populations, no more excuses
    - it is blatantly obvious!
  4. Tony Andrews 17 Jan 2016
    Most independent scientists on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean agree that the massive scale of open mesh salmon farming in inshore waters is causing serious problems for wild Atlantic salmon and sea trout. It would be wrong to downplay the effects of genetic introgression that occurs in rivers, such as the Balgy, where 'swamping' by escaped farmed fish occurs. Sea lice certainly pose the most acutely risk requiring urgent action, but we must not ignore the insidious impact of introgression from escaped maturing adults and from pre smolts escaping from badly maintained cages in fres water lochs. Salmon farming as currently practised in Scotland is simply unsustainable. If inshore salmon farms were required to monitor their effluents in the same way as terrestrial farms do with livestock it is doubtful whether the industry could continue as it is at present. TA
  5. Angus Macmillan Douglas 17 Jan 2016
    Very happy to support this important cause.
  6. Ewan Kennedy 18 Jan 2016
    I have signed the petition and hope that it is accepted by the Petitions Committee in due course.
    Previously I submitted comments on behalf of the saveseilsound campaign group, of which I am the secretary, to the RACCE Committee when it was taking evidence on the Bill that led to the recent Act.
    I also read the reports on the hearings and was extremely concerned at the scientific evidence presented to the Committee on behalf of the industry.
    I would welcome the opportunity to make a submission to the Petitions Committee, either in writing or orally, regarding the menace that sea lice present to our wild salmonids.
    Finally please note that I am not connected with S&TCS in any way and have never in my life attempted to catch a wild salmon or salmonid. My concern is purely with the threat to our wildlife, the environment and ultimately the local micro-economies from a global industry.
  7. Brian Fraser 18 Jan 2016
    Perhaps it time the Scottish Government to put a founding package together to help fish farming go to closed containment.
  8. mark vincent 18 Jan 2016
    a had the lease on the loch mare hotel for 21years the fishing was ruined by sea lice
  9. Corin Smith 18 Jan 2016
    I signed the petition today. I would recommend that anyone who signs the petition also leaves a comment confirming it as well.
  10. Maj(retd) M Stanners 18 Jan 2016
    I grow weary of the innumerable investigations and scientific probes into the reason for the decline of our salmonids. The analogy of Nero fiddling whilst Rome burns leaps to mind here.I have fished for salmon for 50+ years and at no time has the decline been more catastrophically pronounced since the introduction of salmon farming on the West Coast. The situation does not need another long awaited report by a team of fishery biologists to come up with an indefinite answer, meantime our salmon are being wiped out. An example on my doorstep is the beautiful little R Lael running into L Broom which now probably falls into the category of being destroyed by a salmon farm. That is another unique strain of salmon particular to this river lost, lost forever, having come through since the last ice age, now destroyed. I have caught most of the salmon I am going to catch, my fears are for the generations following me, will they have to visit an aquarium to see what a real salmon looks like because too many interested parties could not see the wood for the trees.
  11. John Bruce 18 Jan 2016
    I witnessed the collapse of Loch Maree sea trout catch, 1200 to 12 in one year, due I believe to sea lice, certainly not due to me!
  12. Katie James 18 Jan 2016
    As I understand it, sea lice affect humans as well as the fish. Animal and fish husbandry and welfare should always be very high on the government agenda.
  13. STUART ROBERT LANG 18 Jan 2016
    The Scottish government should hang its head in shame at allowing this toxic industry kill our wild salmon.
  14. Peter murray 18 Jan 2016
    Gross environmental pollution on an industrial scale endorsed by the Scottish Goverment. A national embarrassment.
  15. Kevin Gilmour 18 Jan 2016
    Petition signed.
  16. Robert Brown 18 Jan 2016
    Salmon farming has been causing major harm to wild fish foe many years it now needs to be moved away from sea and put onshore
  17. Benjamin Lever 18 Jan 2016
    The use of West Coast sea lochs for salmon farms has had a hugely detrimental effect on wild salmon and sea trout stocks, whilst I appreciate that there are jobs involved, the positioning of these farms is a serious wildlife crime and would command far greater publicity if it were more widely known the benefit to wildlife ecosystems the presence of wild salmon and sea trout play in the rivers and burns the should inhabit.
  18. george d slater 18 Jan 2016
    time to get this sorted
  19. William Campbell 18 Jan 2016
    We have to do all we can to protect our wild salmon..
  20. Martin Robson 18 Jan 2016
    Signed on 18th Jan 2016
  21. Barry Gallagher 18 Jan 2016
    It's time to stop ignoring the evidence , and to start taking action before it's to late , life is hard enough for the Atlantic salmon right now !!
  22. Stephen Brennan 18 Jan 2016
    All anglers must unite to stop the blight of salmon farms in the sea and their negative impact on the environment, now is your chance
  23. Stuart Brabbs 18 Jan 2016
    Land based aquaculture options should be explored before it's too late for wild salmon and sea trout on the west coast.
  24. michael loy 18 Jan 2016
    other countries are banning fish farms as they can see the affects it has on wild stocks
  25. Kerry Hardy 18 Jan 2016
    This industry needs to be heavily regulated by independent and unannounced inspections.
    This self regulated industry is killing off wild salmon and seatrout for the past 30 years. This must stop
  26. William rankin 18 Jan 2016
    Help salmon before there is nothing left
  27. Pat Kennedy 18 Jan 2016
    All salmon have to get back to their spawning grounds let them have a free run to their rivers.
  28. James Smillie 18 Jan 2016
    I signed petition today
  29. John Dart 18 Jan 2016
    The legislation must be tightened up as it has been for creatures farmed on land. "Out of sight out of mind" must not be allowed to persist. We have to campaign for closed containment systems to replace the current methods.
  30. Kenny MacIver 18 Jan 2016
    Better late than never, assuming Scot Gov care about our seas and the valuable wild salmon and sea trout angling sector.
  31. Elizabeth-Ann Brennan 18 Jan 2016
    Hope the outcome is successful
  32. calum geddes 18 Jan 2016
    Fish farms are ruining wild fish stocks in turn costing jobs in rural communities
  33. David Ballingall 18 Jan 2016
    Signed and shared for others to do the same.
  34. john mitchell 18 Jan 2016
    lets hope the goverment act sooner than late
  35. David Ainsley 18 Jan 2016
    No other industry would be allowed to pollute the sea with chemicals and sea lice. The technology to solve these issues and bring an end to the shooting of seals and disturbance of cetaceans by acoustic 'seal scarers" is already available. We must move the industry to closed containment.
  36. janette galbraith 18 Jan 2016
    Our wild salmon have survived for millions of years
    - do we want to be the generation that destroys them ? If not then support this petition !
  37. Stuart McArthur 19 Jan 2016
    These farms should be onshore regardless of the cost.
  38. alan mooney 19 Jan 2016
    Personally i have no faith with the scottish government on this issue as the chinese yen appears more important than this iconic species, salmon farming in its current form is not sustainable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  39. Kenneth Haughan Freshwater 19 Jan 2016
    Salmon farming has so many plusses that it is vital that is vital that it becomes truly sustainable and quickly. We need much tighter controls and severe sanctions as per Norwegian model but also huge incentives to become closed container.
  40. John Ross 19 Jan 2016
    As previously mentioned it is Loch Maree that is the first place that comes to mind. It could be transformed back to its former glory.
  41. Brian Williams 19 Jan 2016
    High time something was done to help protect the wild fish instead of pandering to big business.
  42. Graham Barnes 19 Jan 2016
    I have been following this topic for more than 30 years since I lived and worked in Uist. I'm now convinced from evidence from all across the Northern Hemisphere that fish farming of salmonids must be hermetically sealed from the environment which they currently share with wild salmonids. This complete separation can only be achieved by legislation. The time has come for the Scottish Government to bring in strong legislation to make that separation happen. The situation is urgent that Scottish Government does not have the luxury of waiting for other nations fall in line ... if necessary the Scottish Government must lead the way and do it NOW.
  43. kenny murray 19 Jan 2016
    Seriously needs addressing before wild salmon are a thing of the past in West coats Rivers.
  44. Geoff franks. 19 Jan 2016
    The evidence of harm by fish farmis to the salmon and sea trout is overwhelming. Stop them now!!!
  45. Kenneth Carr 19 Jan 2016
    Please do something about the sea lice explosion that is harming our wild salmon stock
    - sign up guys
  46. John Wilson 19 Jan 2016
    This issue needs to be resolved for the benefit of all interested parties.
  47. Richard Sagar 19 Jan 2016
    Having fished the Border Esk and Annan for nearly 50 years we had very large amounts of sea lice returning on Sea Trout shortly before the major decline of sea trout numbers in the late 90's early 2000's.
  48. Antony Atha 19 Jan 2016
    It is extremely important that this issue is tackled sensibly by all parties
  49. Ian Jones 19 Jan 2016
    The weight of evidence cannot be ignored, salmon farming and the plague of sea lice that it produces devastates migrating salmon and seatrout smolts.
  50. David Brew 19 Jan 2016
    Re locate them on land.