Luxury salmon farm named in UK media report over urination footage.
A Wester Ross salmon farm has been named in a report by The Sunday Mail after drone footage surfaced appearing to show a worker urinating into one of its sea pens. The video, said to have been filmed near Ardmair, Ullapool, was provided to the newspaper by animal rights organisation Animal Equality and has prompted public criticism on social media.
The clip, which shows two workers moving between pens, appears to capture one individual briefly urinating into the water before continuing his duties. The pens are operated by Wester Ross Fisheries, a small-scale, premium salmon producer in the northwest Highlands of Scotland that was acquired by Mowi in 2022.
The article did not indicate whether the footage had been authenticated or whether any regulatory body is currently investigating the incident. Wester Ross and Mowi Scotland both declined to comment when approached by The Sunday Mail, according to the report.
The incident may raise reputational challenges for Wester Ross, a brand often marketed on the basis of artisanal methods, high welfare standards, and environmental stewardship. The company’s website describes its approach as “hand-reared” and “personal,” positioning its product at the premium end of the market.
While no regulatory breaches have been alleged, and no certification body has commented on the video, the story is likely to contribute to continued public scrutiny of salmon farming operations in Scotland, particularly those targeting the high-value, welfare-conscious consumer segment.
The story also touched on labour conditions, with a representative from the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) claiming that limited access to adequate facilities may be a factor in incidents such as this, although no direct link to the farm in question was established.