Last month the UK government announced a change to the killing of wild salmon in Scotland. The change to legislation around wild salmon means that:
“Killing wild salmon outwith estuary limits will be prohibited for three years”
This change to the law means that individuals who want to catch wild salmon will no longer be able to use nets in estuaries (semi-enclosed coastal bodies of water). This new legislation will protect wild salmon from overfishing.
Network for Animals welcomes this news as many seals have been shot by large salmon netting companies. The ban on netting wild salmon will inevitably save some seals in the process of conserving wild salmon.
However, the netting ban does not mean that the fight to stop UK seals being murdered by the commercial salmon industry is over.
Far from it.
Salmon farmers – organizations who farm fish and keep them in cages in waters all over the UK – are still licensed to kill seals. And they do. Organisations like Marine Harvest and Loch Duart continue to unmercifully kill our seals. Although the law states that fish farmers must have strong nets in place, and methods in place to deter seals, the sad truth is that bullets are cheaper. And our seals continue to be slaughtered– for profit.
Deathly fish farms have the blood of our seals on their hands.
Network for Animals remind salmon eaters to think about the source of farmed fish. As the law changes, it will become harder to buy wild, Atlantic salmon, and so we ask for extra caution in buying farmed fish. Ask your supermarkets and suppliers if seals died for the fish they sell, and let them know you care:
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If you’d like to become more involved in campaigning against the shooting of seals, please get in touch with us. Together we will continue to speak up for seals, and fight against the murder of such intelligent and beautiful creatures.
