A SCOTTISH fish farm has recorded a mortality rate of nearly 50% over its most recent production cycle, it has emerged.
Bakkafrost Scotland has confirmed that its Vuia Mor fish farm in Loch Roag, Isle of Lewis, recorded a mortality rate of 48.2% over its most recent production cycle, which ended with the site being fallowed in July.
A company spokesperson said the losses were “largely concentrated within one externally sourced batch of smaller smolts that experienced significant gill health challenges,” and said fish health and welfare remained the company’s “highest priorities.”
The spokesperson said the company was addressing the issue through its “One Summer at Sea” strategy, designed to shorten marine production cycles using larger, more robust smolts. The company said it had “substantially increased” its in-house production of large smolts and was “significantly reducing” its reliance on third-party suppliers, giving it “greater control over fish quality and performance from freshwater to harvest.”
Responding to the figures, Nick Underdown, Scotland Director at WildFish, said: “The shocking mortality rate at Vuia Mor in Loch Roag is a chronic symptom of an industry still failing to manage its own operations.
“Inadequate regulations and little-to-no oversight means that despite the fact nearly one-in-two fish died, this farm will likely be allowed to continue operating.
“High-mortality rates, just like mass escapes and sea lice infestations, are inherent features of open-net salmon farming, which have devastating consequences for the marine environment and wild fish populations. Many within communities across the west coast and islands are deeply concerned about salmon farming. WildFish campaigns for an urgent moratorium on all new salmon farms and a transition away from the fundamentally unsustainable model of intensive salmon farming.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said it did not support a moratorium on fish farming developments, adding that the sector was “already highly regulated with planning, environmental, fish health and welfare controls applied by different bodies with enforcement action taken where required.”
“Mortality must be driven to the lowest possible levels across all sites and producers must continue taking prompt action to address losses, including deploying innovation and strategic approaches,” the spokesperson said.
According to the Scottish Government, the Fish Health Inspectorate is made aware of mortality at sites through its surveillance programme for the purposes of detecting listed diseases, with all mortality above set thresholds reported to it and considered, and any required action taken within its regulatory remit.
