Drone footage exposes widespread animal abuse and suffering on certified UK salmon farms, revealing severe violations of animal welfare standards.
New investigations published by Animal Equality show cruelty, high death rates, and a lack of transparency in the UK farmed fish industry. With the BBC, The Guardian and The Times covering the story, an industry in crisis now faces urgent calls for reform.
Fish suffocating: systemic suffering on certified salmon farms
Over a four-month period in 2024, whistleblowers captured drone footage at three UK salmon farms. These salmon farms are operated by three of the UK’s largest salmon producers.
Two of the farms are certified by RSPCA Assured, and the third is accredited by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council. Both organizations claim to enforce high animal welfare standards.
The footage reveals repeated cases of animal suffering. In a dozen instances, fish were left out of water for more than a minute – and one salmon was left out of water for over three minutes. This far exceeds the RSPCA’s guideline of no more than 15 seconds.
Investigators documented workers abusing some of the fish. Recordings show fish being kicked, hit, and pushed under piles of dead fish. In one case, a worker dunked a live fish head-first into a bucket of anesthesia, holding them by the tail and breaching RSPCA standards.
Other clips show workers collecting sick fish from the water in nets and slowly walking around the farm for several minutes while the fish painfully suffocated. The workers were also seen closing lids on buckets with live fish inside.
The investigation even revealed dead “cleaner-fish.” These fish are bred or caught from the wild to eat lice off farmed salmon, since lice outbreaks are rampant on unnatural fish farms.
This isn’t the first time Animal Equality has captured suffocation and poor practices on fish farms. Earlier in 2024, Animal Equality shared footage from whistleblowers, which showed live fish suffocating while suspended in a cage in the air. Animal Equality filed a formal complaint, but no formal action was taken by authorities against the company.
Animal Equality has once again filed another formal complaint, calling for immediate action.
Dead fish cleared before politician visit
In another investigation, Animal Equality discovered workers removing large numbers of dead salmon from a farm just hours before a visit from Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). This visit was part of a formal Parliamentary inquiry into the industry.
The 2024 inquiry followed a similar one in 2018, which led a Government Committee to call for stricter controls on salmon farming.
Footage taken by Animal Equality’s investigators days before the MSPs’ visit also showed dead salmon and “cleaner-fish” floating in the water. These fish were cleared before the MSPs arrived, and the politicians were not informed that tons of dead fish had been removed from the farm just hours before their visit.
A committee spokesperson told The Guardian, “We have heard concerns about fish mortality on salmon farms… and this footage raises further questions.” BBC Scotland also reported on the issue.
Animal Equality’s footage prompted the Committee to formally question the industry in Parliament for over one hour. The inquiry is ongoing, and the Committee’s duty is to assess what improvements the industry has or has not made since 2018. It will focus particularly on the industry’s response to lice, mortalities, and its environmental impact.
The need for urgent action
As salmon farming continues to grow, advocates note these investigations are more important than ever. Overcrowding, disease, and environmental problems have caused millions of fish to die on farms each year in Scotland.
Despite repeated warnings from animal protection groups–and even a Government Committee voicing the need for more robust scrutiny and control over the industry – little progress has been made.
Industry representatives say removing sick and dead fish is standard, daily practice – which is alarming to consumers.
Animal Equality is urging the Scottish Government to halt the industry’s expansion and stop any new fish farms from being constructed.
What you can do to help
Fish are among the most forgotten animals, often overlooked when it comes to animal protection. Yet, studies reveal that fish are capable of thinking, feeling pain, and experiencing distress – just like other animals.
With billions of fish suffering on farms and in the wild every year, you can defend them by choosing fish-free options.
Original source: https://animalequality.org
https://www.animalagricultureclimatechange.org/chefs-refuse-farmed-salmon/
