Last week, it was revealed that 2022 saw the highest farmed fish mortality rates on record, with approximately 15 million salmon dying prematurely on farms across Scotland between January and November 2022. This number is double that of 2021 and triple that of 2020. 

What these figures mean is that 15 million animals, who were farmed for human consumption, died and were discarded before even reaching slaughter.

MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament) have dubbed these numbers as “horrendous” and “alarming.” They are now demanding immediate action from the Scottish Government, including an urgent inquest.

Ignoring this new information comes at our own peril. These fish mostly died as a result of disease, treatment, and poor gill health – issues that arose because of the conditions they are kept in.

Salmon are the second most factory farmed animal in the UK, after chickens. The industry contributed £760 million to the Scottish economy in 2021 a rise of 20 percent since 2019. As the industry grows, so do the issues that come with it.

The salmon deaths should serve as a reminder that the government must crack down on the unethical and environmentally disastrous salmon farming industry.

Want to see more SNP fails? – Transport Matters