Animal welfare campaigners are challenging the decision to allow Scottish salmon producers to remove the word “farm-raised” from the label.
A submission from the industry body claimed that changing the protected name text on the front of pack from ‘Farmed Scottish Salmon’ to ‘Scottish Salmon’ made sense as wild salmon is no longer sold in supermarkets, which consumers are does he know.
But charities and chefs have criticized the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) decision last month to allow Salmon Scotland’s app, saying it facilitates greenwashing and will mislead consumers.
Rachel Mulrenan of WildFish, one of the organizations mounting the legal challenge, said: “As sustainability issues become more important, this is a thinly veiled attempt by the Scottish salmon farming industry to pull out the eyes of consumers, both in the UK and further on.
“More than ever, people need to know the true origins of the products they buy and consume in order to make informed decisions. This name change is a step in the wrong direction.
The change concerns the labeling of salmon from Scotland under protected geographical indication (PGI), which was introduced to replace a similar EU scheme. Other protected Scottish products include Scotch whisky, lamb and beef. The fact that the salmon was raised on a farm will still have to be shown on the back of the package.
At the time the application was approved, Salmon Scotland said: “When consumers talk about ‘Scottish salmon’, they are talking about farmed Atlantic salmon from Scotland – and this change makes that clear.”
Abigail Penny, chief executive of Animal Equality UK, the other organization which appealed to the top court, said: “Changing the label does not change the reality. Scotland’s farmed salmon industry is fraught with problems. Deadly head lice infestation and disease outbreaks are not just common, they are the norm, killing millions of farmed salmon each year. Instead of admitting its incompetence, the industry instead tries to bury the truth and risks seriously deceiving unsuspecting consumers in the process.
Intensive salmon farming can also threaten wild salmon populations if escaped farmed fish breed with wild fish. More than 200 chefs and restaurants, as well as 60 community groups, charities and NGOs are in support of WildFish’s ‘off the table’ campaignwhich asks chefs and restaurants to remove farmed salmon from their menus.
Animal Equality UK and Wildfish argue that as well as misleading consumers, the PGI change violates assimilated EU Regulation 1151/2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs.
Tim Madams, former head chef at River Cottage Canteen, said: “Whether it’s farm-raised salmon fed wild-caught fish and farmed in low-welfare places that pollute these beautiful remote places , or the vast array of not-quite-commitments to the welfare standards (‘free-range, free-range, free-range’) of land-based farming, this decision is yet another nail in the coffin for wild salmon and sea trout in Scotland and another opportunity to profit from this disappointing industry.”
Naturalist and broadcaster Chris Packham, who is president of animal welfare charity the RSPCA, described the growing Scottish salmon farming industry as “catastrophic” for fish welfare and Scotland’s environment.
Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said: “We know that when consumers say ‘Scottish salmon’ they are talking about salmon produced by our member companies and the PGI update is a small but important clarification.”
Defra declined to comment pending the proceedings.
