A record figure of up to ten million farmed salmon in Scotland were wiped out by disease and other problems last year.
The Scottish salmon farming industry lost about a quarter of its stock numbers. Many juvenile fish are thought to be involved.
Main causes are sea lice as well as a relatively new parasite called Amoebic Gill Disease or AGD.
Scott Landsburgh, chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO), which represents the main players in the sector, said: “Last year saw some problems which resulted in the loss of between six and 10 million fish, depending on their size.
“This is something which the industry takes very seriously and is working hard to minimise.”
Salmon farming critics say the industry has failed to control the level of disease.
Using chemicals to treat infected fish pollutes sea lochs and affects the health of marine life and wild salmon, they say.
Salmon farming losses
9 Oct 2017