Fishing concerns

Don Staniford (Letters, 16 August) continues his one-man crusade against the salmon farming industry – but he is selective with his facts. Farmed salmon may be fed on fishmeal, but so are pigs and chickens.

However, of more concern is the amount of fish that is fed to pets. In Australia, where much of the research has been conducted, cats typically eat 13.7 kg of fish per year compared to 11 kg consumed by the average Australian. Globally, the cat food industry is estimated to use about 2.5 million tonnes of fish. By comparison, the salmon farming industry uses very little and the resulting fish are consumed for food.

If Mr Staniford is really concerned about the amount of fish taken from the seas as feed, then perhaps he should direct his criticism of the pet food industry. Of course, pet owners would be up in arms at any attempt to change the food they feed to their animals. By comparison, salmon farming is an easy target.

(Dr) Martin Jaffa

Callander

McDowell, Manchester