U.K. Salmon & Trout Association engage campaigner to fight non-sustainable aquaculture
For the first time, a fisheries organisation is engaging a dedicated campaigner and lawyer to focus solely on just one key issue: to "move the fish farming industry towards environmental sustainability".
S&TA has engaged the services of the experienced lawyer, broadcaster and environmental campaigner, Guy Linley-Adams (please see biography following).
Reporting directly to the S&TA Board, Guy will be targeting:
- Politicians (MSPs, MPs and MEPs),arguing the case for sustainable aquaculture
- Ministers and officials , holding them to account for their decisions
- The investment community, challenging supports for unsustainable aquaculture
- Retailers and supermarkets, scrutinizing their claims to be sourcing salmon products from companies farming responsibly and pushing them to demand higher standards of the fish farmers
- The media, increasing publicity of the problems caused by fish farming
- The general public, increasing awareness of what does and does not constitute sustainable aquaculture
The priority targets for the campaign will be to:
- see the relocation of those existing fish farm sites identified in areas sensitive for wild fish and to remove all smolt cage units from river systems containing wild salmon populations
Paul Knight, S&TA CEO, commented: "Scientific research confirms that farming of salmon in floating cage farms on the Scottish west coast has had a negative impact on wild Atlantic salmon and sea trout; even the Scottish Government now concedes it is likely that impacts of aquaculture have contributed to the decline in runs. We must now translate this scientific consensus into action."
Guy Linley-Adams adds, "There has simply not been sufficient progress over the last few years in reducing the impact of salmon farming. I feel the industry is at a crossroads. It can chose the path of unsustainable expansion, or it can recognise its failings, pull back from the brink and start to address the damage it has already caused. Working with the S&TA, I see it as my task to cause the industry to choose the latter option."
