Salmon firm slammed over Loch Fyne sea lice levels

A NUMBER of Loch Fyne fish farm sites have been named by a marine conservation charity as having exceptionally high levels of sea lice over the past two years.

Farms at Ardcastle Bay, Strondoir Bay, Gob a Bharra, Quarry Point, Furnace Quarry and Meall Mhor, run by the Norwegian-owned Scottish Salmon Company, showed some of the highest levels of the parasite in Scotland.

According to data obtained by Salmon and Trout Conservation Scotland following a freedom of information request, Furnace Quarry was allowed to continue operating by the Scottish Government despite having 20 times the recommended maximum lice num- bers per farmed fish for seven weeks.

In June 2016, the Scottish Government introduced new trigger levels where three lice per farmed salmon would result in producers having to draw up a site-specific plan to reduce lice numbers. If eight lice per farmed salmon were found, the government scheme states the fish farm would be required to harvest early, reduce biomass or have the fish culled.

Andrew Graham-Stewart, director of the Salmon and Trout Commission Scotland, said: ‘The release of free-swimming stage lice into Loch Fyne from the Scottish Salmon Company’s farms in 2016 through to 2017 would have been astonishingly high. Given the company’s inability to control sea lice in Loch Fyne, and elsewhere, it should face serious penalties.’

Adult wild salmon are adapted to coping with a low number of sea lice, as the parasites occur naturally in the sea. Salmon farming in enclosed sea lochs has, however, led to a change in the density of sea lice which the campaign group claims can harm farmed salmon.

A Scottish Salmon Company spokesperson said: ‘Like other producers, we experienced naturally occurring biological challenges at some of our southern sites. Treatments took place and all of the affected sites are now fallow. We continue to work to find sustainable solutions to tackle these industry-wide challenges.’