RSPCA Assured suspends Mowi Scotland's Loch Harport location amid allegations of fish abuse

Norwegian salmon-farming firm Mowi has temporarily lost its Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) certification for its Loch Harport location in the wake of videos that show workers at the company's Skye, Scotland-based farming site beating fish.

The news, first reported by The Times, came after the Green Britain Foundation (GBF) captured videos of alleged salmon abuse, which inspired an RSPCA investigation that led to the farm’s suspension from the group’s Assured animal welfare certification scheme. 

The suspension threatens the Loch Harport farm's ability to supply a number of major U.K. retailers, many of which only source from Assured animal welfare certification scheme participants.

“We are committed to the highest standards of animal welfare and expect our suppliers to uphold these standards, as do our customers," Sainsbury’s told The Times. "All of our salmon is 100 percent RSPCA Assured and we take these allegations extremely seriously. As a result, we have suspended supply from this farm while Mowi and the RSPCA carry out their investigations.” 

In a statement to SeafoodSource, a Mowi Scotland representative said that "Mowi’s farm at Loch Harport on the Isle of Skye has been suspended from the RSPCA Assured label scheme. This suspension relates only to this farm and Mowi continues to supply UK retailers with farm-raised salmon from our other 54 farms in Scotland, all of which are still certified under the RSPCA Assured label scheme."

 She continued: "The suspension of the Loch Harport farm follows footage captured by the Green Britain Foundation, known for its opposition to farming animals for people to eat and its funding or encouragement towards vegan activists to film and oppose salmon farming operations at all costs. The husbandry staff featured in the footage were removing around 12 poor performing salmon from a large pen holding more than 40,000 healthy salmon. Our salmon at the farm are in great condition, are looked after and are reared in clean water off the west coast of Scotland."

The representative assured SeafoodSource that Mowi Scotland is cooperating fully with the investigation, and explained that "whilst we do understand that the footage showing these fish being dispatched may be concerning to some people, percussive stun to dispatch fish is the most effective and humane method in these circumstances."

 "The staff are working on floating pens in what appears to be a very windy day so would be trying to ensure that the fish are stunned as quickly as possible and so some fish received multiple blows, but that is to ensure they are quickly euthanized."

The representative also said that the staff at the location had received support and training, to "ensure that they feel valued as farmers and not persecuted by activists," and that all farming teams would be receiving a RSCPA refresher. 

This is not the first time Mowi Scotland has been accused of animal welfare violations. In 2021, Scottish Salmon Watch posted video and photo footage of alleged abuse on its website. Though Mowi challenged the claims, one U.K. retailer suspended the supplier during an investigation of the allegations. 

A subsequent investigation by the RSPCA found no evidence of fish abuse at the Scottish site, however. Marine Scotland’s Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) concurred and closed the investigation. 

Also in 2021, Mowi Scotland took legal action against environmentalist Don Staniford, who had, they alleged, harassed Mowi staff while taking undercover videos of salmon farms through organizations like Scottish Salmon Watch and the Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture.