Fishy business

The news that Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage did not object to the planning application to site another 46 cages of factory farmed salmon in Loch Kanaird (your report, 23 October) raises serious questions about the ability or willingness of the Scottish Government to protect our fragile marine environment.

Alex Salmond and his ministers are unhealthily close to the aquaculture industry.

On their frequent meetings with Chinese politicians our government officials act as unpaid sales reps for salmon farms in Scotland, the majority of which are owned by Norwegian parent companies. As Norwegian businesses beat the Chinese boycott of Norwegian goods by selling them tartan-tinted salmon we do nothing to curb the expansion of the industry and the pollution that brings to Scottish sea lochs.

Scottish seals are being shot on a daily basis and Scottish salmon and sea trout are being killed by sea lice which are endemic in factory farmed salmon.

These direct adverse effects of salmon farming cause great harm to the Scottish tourist economy. The Scottish Government should be forcing fish farmers to clean up their act instead of colluding with them in their myopic drive for profit.

John F Robins

Save Our Seals Fund

Dumbarton

Objectors call the decision by Highland Council to allow changes to a Wester Ross salmon farm undemocratic only because they didn’t get their way.

They say that the council didn’t listen to the facts even though their facts are clearly wrong. My understanding is that this salmon farm is not expanding as claimed. It is simply replacing their existing cages with new. This will allow them to reduce the total number of fish as the new cages will allow a more effective management of the farm.

This is simply a case of “not in my back yard”, even though the farm has been operational since 1977.

(Dr) Martin Jaffa

Callander McDowell

Manchester