Scottish Conservatives have joined Labour and the Greens to demand an inquiry into the staggering number of deaths at Scotland's salmon farms last year.
According to a report by Salmon Scotland, 2.8m salmon died on Scottish fish farms in September last year. Salmon farming company Bakkafrost reported mortality rates of 80.2%, 57.7%, 42.3% and 39.1% in consecutive months, while 82.1% of salmon died at its Druimyeon Bay site in Argyll this time last year.
A total of 15m deaths were reported between January and November, up from 8.58m in total in 2021 and 5.81, in 2020.
The situation is clearly worsening, which charity Animal Equality UK blames on overcrowding and the harsh chemicals poured into the sea in a vain attempt to kill sea lice, which eat the fish alive.
Salmon farming is not only cruel and wasteful, but has devastating consequences for the environment and local, natural fish population. Around a third of all fish caught worldwide are used to feed farmed, carnivorous fish, such as salmon.
Vegan Conservatives have been calling for an end to salmon farming for several years, but Nicola Sturgeon is on record as wishing to double the aquaculture industry by 2030.
