Fish farm cover-up claim 'was obvious attempt to derail MSPs' focus'
Salmon Scotland chief slams 'extreme activists' during Holyrood salmon inquiry
A Scottish Parliament committee and the salmon farming sector have been subjected to a “deliberate, orchestrated, and coordinated campaign by anti-salmon farming extreme activists aided and abetted by some in the media”, MSPs were told today.
Tavish Scott, chief executive of trade body Salmon Scotland, made the claim when giving evidence to Holyrood’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, which is seeking to learn how the industry has progressed since an inquiry into the sector in 2018.
Scott’s allegation comes in the wake of a visit by the committee to a Scottish Sea Farms marine site at Dunstaffnage on Monday, September 23, and release of video footage of mort removal at the site that took place before the visit. Campaign group Animal Equality UK claimed the footage was evidence of an attempt to depict “a wholly inaccurate image of the industry” to the committee members.
No doubt about motives
When asked about the media reports by committee convenor
Finlay Carson, Scott singled out the BBC, although newspapers such as The
Guardian and The Times also reported the claims by Animal Equality, which
opposes all forms of animal farming.
“We appreciate the opportunity to respond to last week’s events, and indeed the BBC reporting of that,” said Scott.
He added: “This is an obvious and deliberate attempt to derail this committee’s focus on what has changed in Scotland’s salmon farming sector since 2018.
“I refer the committee to the comments on the BBC website yesterday which has extensive quotes again from an anti-salmon farming activist and their objectives. Now, no member of this committee can be in any doubt as to the motives of these extreme activists.
We are very sorry that the committee members have been used in this way ...These people would not just shut down Scotland’s salmon farming sector, but they would shut down farming as well. Read their website, read their Tweets.
Salmon Scotland chief executive Tavish Scott
“We deplore all that, and we are very sorry that the committee members have been used in this way. Our people, our men and women who work in our companies and our extensive supply chain businesses from Unst in the north all the way down to your home in the south of Scotland, convenor, should not have to put up with this behaviour.
“It’s not only us [but also] government ministers, and civil servants, and our regulators who regularly are assailed with abuse and intimidatory tactics from extreme activists. These people would not just shut down Scotland’s salmon farming sector, but they would shut down farming as well. Read their website, read their Tweets.”
'Quite aggressive'
Scott was later questioned over his stance on the industry's critics by MSP Edward Mountain (Conservative, Highlands and Islands region), who was convenor of the RAIC’s predecessor, the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee (RECC) that held the 2018 inquiry. Mountain, a hereditary baronet and the owner of salmon fishing rights on his family estate, has strongly criticised the sector in the past, although he claims he wants it changed but not closed down.
He said: “Tavish, on the point that you made when you came in here, you were quite aggressive to those people that challenged you. Do you think it’s right that people have an ability challenge you, and question what the industry is doing is right, because you were pretty forceful against them?”
They're here to kill jobs
Scott replied: “I absolutely accept that we have stakeholders that have every right to say what they like. I think I have the absolute right on behalf of the 12,000 people I represent to point out that anti-salmon farming campaign organisations are here to put us all out of a job, and actually Mr Mountain the thing I think you should be worried about as a cattle farmer – because my daughter is, as a sheep farmer – is that once they have got rid of us, they then move on to farming.
“So, those are the groups of people I really do believe we need to call out and I think we need the committee’s support in recognising this is a great industry, it does great things for Scotland, and it employs a lot of people all over our country. We’re very proud of that, very committed to it, very committed to working with your Parliament and with the government of the day on the reforms we absolutely need and accepting the transparency of our decision making and how we operate our businesses, but we need a little bit of help to push back on the utter nonsense that we are subjected to every single day.”
Secret recording
Mountain then referred to a past meeting he had had with Scott before being advised by Carson to stop before he said something he might regret.
“I think I reasonably question you, and I reasonably challenge the industry, and on the 25th of October at 14.30 when you came into my office, one of your comments – word for word because it was taken down for me – is ‘The issue is your attitude are (sic) at the top of the agenda for the next board meeting. The board are very unhappy with you and willing to take action against you unless you retract your comments in Parliament’,” said Mountain, before being interrupted by Carson.
Scott said: “Can I just put on the record, convenor, that I didn’t know that our private discussion was being taped.”
Mountain then said: “I think I was trying to identify, if I may, that people have a right to challenge the industry and question it, so that we can make the industry come to be the industry that we want it to be in Scotland and contributing to the export industry that we have, but I find it difficult when I’m being physically or verbally attacked for doing just that.”
The MSP did not give any examples of being physically attacked.
