Escapes hardly rare

Sir,

The Scottish Salmon Company in its plethora of data in support of its application for a North Arran salmon farm claims ‘escape events are very rare and have only occurred three times in the past two decades at fish farms local to the Firth of Clyde.

Data from www.aquaculture.scotland.gov.uk shows that between 2000 and 2020 from the 17 salmon farms, no less than 196,309 salmon escaped in the Clyde, including 64,848 in total from two breakouts from the Mowi farm at North Carradale in Kilbrannan Sound, close to the North Arran proposed site.

Both locations are a high energy area for tides, wind and waves, hence prone to storm damage. The other 15 salmon farms in the Clyde have lost 131,461 salmon in total over 20 years. These 15, owned by Scottish Salmon Company since its formation in 2009, have reported 64,287 fish lost to escapes since that date. Hardly rare and hardly small in number. In fact, the Scottish Salmon Company, since its formation in 2009, around the west of Scotland have had 117,690 farmed salmon escape, from as far away as Isle of Lewis, Isle of Harris, Mull, as well as the Clyde farms.

Does this all matter – surely it is a benefit for salmon anglers? Well, no. These escaped fish are genetically different, compromised by weakness and disease, and there is clear evidence they have contributed to the inexorable decline in our wild salmonid populations, no longer often seen in the famous fast running West Coast salmon rivers of Scotland, including Arran. Yours,

Sally Campbell, Lamlash.