Order to kill after mass escape by farmed salmon

River workers have expressed concern for the purity of wild salmon in Argyll after more than 11,000 farmed fish escaped.

The escape from a Scottish Salmon Company farm at Geasgill on Mull was reported to Marine Scotland after employees recorded low numbers during a routine grading exercise.

The Scottish Gamekeepers Association Fishing Group said 11,040 farmed salmon entered rivers including the River Ba, one of the few rivers in the west of Scotland given a class 1 rating for salmon conservation.

Gillies in the area have ordered any farmed salmon caught to be killed and not returned to the river. Gamekeepers also say there is “real concern” crossbreeding between farmed salmon and wild salmon will weaken the wild gene pool.

Greg Marsh, of the SGA Fishing Group, which looks after operations at River Coladoir and Loch Scridain, said: “A class 1 river means the Ba is rated by Scottish Government scientists as having the highest grading for conservation of wild salmon.

“There are now a lot of farmed fish through it and up into Loch Ba.

“What effect is this going to have on the wild fish? What will fisheries be offering in three or four years’ time? Fish of unknown genetic purity.

“Those on the environmental side in Scottish Government need to raise greater awareness of the dangers to wild fish caused by escapes from fish farms and start doing something more effective about it.”

“What will fisheries be offering in three or four years?”

The worry is about wild and farmed fish interbreeding