A rise in the number of fish dying at salmon farms has prompted a campaign group to demand a halt to new developments.
Outer Hebrides Against Fish Farms (OHAFF) say "damning new figures" on fish mortality and sea lice infestations show the industry is "unsustainable and damaging."
Figures released by industry body, Global Salmon Initiative (GSI), indicate fish mortality rates at fish farms increased last year compared 2013.
OHAFF spokesperson, Peter Urpeth, said: “This industry clearly cannot adequately control infestations and other causes of fish mortality, and it is clearly highly irresponsible for local planning authorities to consider or permit further expansion of this industry when it clearly cannot deliver sustainable limits of fish mortality, disease and infestation.
Campaigners seek halt to fish farm developments
15 June 2015
"Its methods are simply not working. Fish farm companies make assertions about the efficiency of their management processes every time they submit a planning proposal for a new development or expansion of existing sites. These and so many sets of figures before them, show that fish farmers simply cannot adequately manage key environmental and fish welfare issues, and the situation is clearly getting worse.
“It is time to call a halt to this environmental madness, to stop further development
and ensure that fish farming becomes a transparent industry that is fully, adequately
and independently monitored, and that failures to comply with the standards expected
are punished in law. That is the only responsible position.”
Steve Bracken, Business Support Manager at Marine Harvest said: “We were disappointed at the level of mortality last year which was mainly the result of a combination of naturally occurring challenges, including algal blooms and jellyfish.
“We are proud of our involvement in the Global Salmon Initiative as we are committed to transparency in our operations, even where it results in criticism such as this from anti salmon farming organisations."
Mr Bracken added: "We constantly strive to improve our production methods as part of our commitment to producing salmon in a sustainable way but we will occasionally face naturally occurring challenges which cannot be avoided and we are quite prepared to be open about this.
“Marine Harvest is committed to meeting the standards set out by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council across all its operations by the year 2020 and our first farm has already received accreditation under this rigorous scheme.”