Questions raised over rigour of inspections in Scotland.
Scottish salmon farms recorded more than 35 million “unexpected” fish deaths between January 2023 and October 2025, according to figures cited in a report published this week by The Guardian.
The newspaper said the data was obtained through a freedom of information request submitted by Animal Equality UK, which claims that the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) inspected 21 of Scotland’s 213 active salmon farm sites during the period, with two inspections described as unannounced.
The Guardian report contrasts the figures with comments made in December by Scotland’s rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon, who said Scotland operates a “really robust regulatory regime” for fin-fish aquaculture.
According to the newspaper, none of the 20 sites associated with the highest mortality totals were among those inspected, and APHA has not issued formal warnings or care notices in relation to fish welfare complaints since 2022.
In response, an APHA spokesperson told the Guardian that all reports of suspected poor welfare are assessed by veterinary staff and managed through a standard triage and assessment process.
A Scottish government spokesperson said the Fish Health Inspectorate undertakes around 250 statutory finfish site inspections each year as part of listed disease surveillance, which may be pre-arranged, short-notice, or unannounced, and that suspected welfare breaches are referred to APHA.
Industry body Salmon Scotland told the Guardian that Scottish farmers operate to some of the highest health, welfare, and environmental standards globally, and that activist groups frequently present a misleading picture of farm conditions.
The Scottish parliament’s rural affairs and islands committee is scheduled to question salmon farming executives later this month as part of its ongoing inquiry into the sector.