People are speaking out against the prospect of salmon farming in the Falklands Islands

Submit your own witness statement here

Your written statements

Your written witness statements

Submit your own witness statement here

Falkland Islands

  • My name is Katherine (Frin) Ross.  I used to work to conserve freshwater life and wild fisheries in the North West of Scotland.  This has made me very wary of industrial salmon farming in sea cages.  I do not support industrial salmon farming in the Falkland Islands because I think it has the potential to do a lot of harm to our wonderful marine wildlife and, based on my experience in Scotland, once it comes there is no way to properly police or enforce conservation measures.  The companies are just too big to fail and often ride roughshod over legal conservation and monitoring conditions.  Small local communities and Governments do not have the money or resources to monitor the impacts of farming including chemical use, disease, parasites, entanglement and light and plastic pollution.  Where impacts are obvious it is near impossible to prove as operating in open water away from land it is very difficult to gather evidence and then farming companies have the best lawyers to defend them.  In our case they will have invested so much in operating here they seem unlikely to downscale operations to protect our wildlife, instead I think it is likely that they will use their legal and economic power to dictate to Government.  

    I will never forget the sight of wild sea trout and salmon smolts which we monitored in rivers close to farms, they were eaten alive and covered in lice.  We worked hard with farming companies and within the legal framework to protect our rivers but there was no way to have any effect, we were shouting into the wind.  One of my friends was a crab and lobster fisher all of  his life, when the louse problems got really bad more and more chemicals were used on the farms.  Suddenly their crabs and lobsters disappeared and my friend was put out of business.

    I say no to industrial open pen salmon farming because I think the natural world needs us more than ever.

  • I've been fortunate enough to experience some of the most incredible corners of the Falkland Islands; I've been kayaking with energetic dolphins, watched albatross raise their chicks on completely pristine tussac islands, and have been face-to-face with Southern Right Whales just meters from the shoreline. The Falklands near shore waters are something that we, as a community, should be immensely proud of, and should be striving to protect.

    Lets be clear about why the open-pen salmon industry wants to locate here in the Islands; they know that the rest of the world is turning against them, and they perceive us to be a push over and an easy profit. They believe that the will of the people can be brushed aside, and that the Government's regulatory powers will not be able to stop them from doing whatever they desire. A few people will get richer, but the Islands themselves will be irreparably poorer.

    If countries much larger and richer than us are unable to regulate the open-pen salmon industry, then what hope do we have? Everywhere this industry operates is now suffering from environmental degradation. More wild fish are caught to feed the penned salmon than will ever reach the shop counters. Community groups across the world are fighting to save what is left of their local environments, and to remove the pens from their waters. We must heed their warnings. 

    The only way to ensure that this industry doesn't pollute our waters, kill our wildlife, and ruin our international reputation and identity is to stand firm and not allow them to operate in the first place. There can be no compromise in this.

    I am against open-pen salmon farming in any form in the Falkland Islands.

  • My name is Roy and I am a 3rd generation Falkland Islander. I am against salmon farming here in the Falklands for the following reasons,

    1. Our waters are absolutely prestine and need to stay that way,  not become contaminated by the wastes of aqua culture..

    2. Once salmon farming is here and established,  its unlikely it will ever leave, even after causing all sorts of devastation in our waters..

    3. There are already Salmon farms established around the world so no need to find somewhere new, or is it because these locations are aware of the devastating environmental impacts surrounding aqua culture and won't allow expansion or new company set ups..

    4. Once established its difficult, if not impossible to get them removed.

    5. It's cruel and unethical. 
    6. We as a nation are proud of, and promote the cleanliness of our islands and waters globally along with our wildlife, at various tourist, wildlife venues to attract ships, photographers, enthusiasts etc, so why have a blot on the landscape to explain..

    Fingers crossed for a continued salmon free falklands..

  • Our environment is our greatest asset; it shouldn't be put at risk for short term economic gain. Large scale aquaculture brings significant negative impacts, and is driven by a wealthy, powerful industry.

    FIG failed to follow due process before and our elected representatives now seem gagged by the court order resulting from the judicial review. Public concerns remain and we all need to speak out with our views, and respond to the consultation to ensure our voices are heard.

    This is our home, our beautiful coastlines and bays, our Falklands, our decision.

  • I am a Falkland Islander and live here in the Islands.

    I say absolutely “no” to open pen salmon farming as it would ruin the environment and the Islands.

  • The Falkland Islands prides itself in its pristine environment and "clean and green" image, relying on natural resources to support the economy. The rest of the world is regretting and turning against salmon farming. The politicians don't want salmon farming, the people of the Falklands don't want salmon farming.

    Don't let large companies and overseas corporations bully you. Say no to salmon farming.

  • My name is Roxanne King-Clark, and I am a Falkland Islander. I’m speaking out because I care deeply about the future of our home and the protection of our unique environment.

    While I haven’t seen the damage caused by open-pen salmon farming first-hand, I’ve done the research – and what I’ve learned is incredibly worrying. In other parts of the world, this industry has led to pollution, the spread of disease and parasites to wild fish, and the decline of local marine ecosystems. These are not small impacts, and once they start, they’re hard – if not impossible – to reverse.

    The Falkland Islands are known for their natural beauty, their clean waters, and their thriving wildlife – things that we, as Islanders, are proud of and that visitors admire. Introducing open-pen salmon farming puts all of that at risk. It’s not just about fish farms; it’s about protecting our identity, our environment, and the long-term health of our economy – especially industries like tourism and fishing that depend on a clean, healthy ecosystem.

    I am strongly opposed to open-pen salmon farming in the Falkland Islands. Our marine environment is too important, too delicate, and too special to gamble with.

    Let’s protect what we have before it’s lost. Once it’s gone, there’s no bringing it back.

  • I work as a tour guide here in the Falkland Islands and I am against salmon farming because of the negative environmental impact it will have. We have pristine waters around our islands and salmon farming not only endangers our wildlife but also jeopardises our existing major industries: fishing, tourism and agriculture.

  • NO to Salmon farming

  • My name is Tim Stenning, and I have lived in the Falklands since 1991.

    This is not going to be a long statement about setting out my concerns about the salmon farming industry. The effects of the industry upon the environment are well known and documented. There is no environmental upside. This is self evident. I am against any form of salmon farming.

    The debate then moves on to whether any perceived upside is worth the damage that will be caused not only to the environment, but also to our democracy and our pride in the islands that we as a community call home.

    If a company is ever allowed to go against the will of 8 of our elected representatives, as expressed in their manifestos that we voted on, for their own financial gain, that is wrong. There is no way that it should ever be allowed to happen. A company’s greed, however that may be packaged up and airbrushed into some bizarre sense of “Unity”, cannot be permitted to trump (and that is a very intended pun) the will of the community that I am proud to be a part of.

    We say no. We are the Falklands. We will decide what happens, for us, our environment, and for the generations to come.

    These are big decisions. Big decisions that big business, who can only be trusted to serve their own self interest, have no right to make. That right is ours. That decision is ours. These beautiful islands are ours and we will defend them because that is the right thing to do.

  • I am opposed to offshore salmon farming in the Falkland Islands due to its well-documented environmental risks. The introduction of intensive aquaculture threatens our pristine marine ecosystems with pollution, disease transfer to wild fish populations, and the potential for escaped non-native species to disrupt local biodiversity. The Falklands' waters are among the cleanest in the world, and we must protect them from the devastating ecological consequences seen in other regions where salmon farming has caused habitat degradation and declining wild fish stocks. Sustainable fisheries and responsible marine stewardship should be our priority, not industrial fish farming that prioritises profit over environmental health.

    I am, however, open to exploring sustainable alternatives such as land-based, onshore salmon farming. If thorough investigations demonstrate that a closed-containment system can operate without harming local ecosystems, depleting marine resources, or introducing invasive risks, then it could provide a more environmentally responsible option. Any such development must be carefully assessed to ensure it aligns with the Falklands’ commitment to protecting its unique environment while fostering economic opportunities.

  • My name is Chris Peck. I am a Falkland Islander and love my home. We are so very lucky to live where we do and love the wildlife and getting out and about, enjoying the scenery and the fresh air and the peace and quiet. I feel so strongly against any form of salmon farming. If I remember rightly, at Foxbay, many years ago, they had salmon in tanks at a place called Doctors Creek. I went out to live and work on the west in 1982. Going to Doctors Creek to go fishing was mind blowing, the amount of fish there (mullet) was incredible.

    I left the west and came back into Stanley, then went out to the west with my partner and we called into Foxbay and noticed there were no fish to be seen. I was told this was due to the fact of the salmon they had there in the tanks many years before, the place was dead. We have a good friend who is Chilean and into the echo system in a large way in Chile and he has shown us lots of data about the issues in Chile with salmon farming, everything is destroyed and the impact is, it never recovers. We have had people from Chile come over and explain all this to the people of the Falklands.

    I am against any kind of salmon farming in any form because we all know the end results and it will completely destroy the Falklands.

Visitors to the Falklands

  • Keep the Falkland Islands free of salmon farms.

    I first visited the Falkland Islands in the early '70's and remained on the islands for a month. The objective of the visit was to collect live specimens from the Anatidae's for the Wildfowl Trust in the UK and Philadelphia Zoo in the USA. 

    From Maurice Rumboll who had visited the islands beforehand I knew that the wildlife on the islands was incredibly special. However I was not prepared for what I actually encountered. 

    Since that date I have visited the Falkland Islands on countless occasions to the present day. That initial impression has only become stronger and stronger with each subsequent visit. What the Falkland Islands has is a true jewel and it should be thoroughly protected and kept so that many generations in the future can enjoy what has been so special to me.

    Let me expand on what I have just written. In 1976 and '77 I visited the islands on the Lindblad Explorer and there was born a lifelong friendship with the McGill's from Carcass, the Napier's on West Point and Ian Strange on New Island. 

    I returned to the islands in 1987, 1988 and 1989 on the Illiria and Antonina Nezdhanova, always with Lindblad Travel. 

    Since 2006 to the present with Lindblad Expeditions I have visited the islands every year and my circle of friends has expanded with the owners of Saunders, Beaver, Keppel, Steeple Jason and Bleaker Islands as well as Grave Cove on West Falkland, Volunteer Point on East Falkland and of course Stanley and its surroundings.

    In every one of those remarkable places I have been humbled by the remarkable wildlife and how it has been cared for. The islands are truly remarkable.

    In the last few weeks I read an article in The Guardian about the increasingly serious pollution problems that the Norwegian Fjords are facing as a result of salmon farms in those locations.

    Those same Norwegian companies invested many decades ago in fish farming in the Chilean Fjords, starting in the Chiloé region and then moving further and further south. The damage to the seabed in the Chiloé region, which is to a large extent now a dead zone, will take many decades to repair. This has been well documented by many serious and reputable scientific investigations. 

    The industry in that region suffered a very serious crash some time ago as a result of disease. There have been multiple escapes from damaged nets, mainly caused by South American Sea Lions, a native species to the region. 

    It is worth reminding ourselves that there are no native Salmonids anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere. These fish do not belong here.

    Trout are widespread in many of the rivers and lakes in Patagonia and the damage that they have caused to the native fish and aquatic invertebrates is incalculable. 

    So why would the beautiful islands that make up the Falklands with their incredible abundance of wildlife jeopardise all of that over salmon farms? It is an unbearable thought.

    Please do not be tempted by the greed of companies that will try and sweeten the bitter pill with all manner of sweet talk and empty promises when ultimately all they want is to line their pockets with money. Their environmental message and promises to protect it are empty and have been shown to be totally empty.

    Please pay no heed to them at all. 

    You have, in many ways, an exemplary fishery. Don't jeopardise that with a highly invasive and damaging species. 

     

  • My name is Serena and I visited the Falklands in January 2026 as part of a trip to Antartica.

    I was incredibly fascinated by the pristine nature of the islands and I am very much aware of the importance to preserving nature's delicate ecosystems, especially in a world where such places are disappering and are heavily abused by humans.

    Salmon farming has a terrible impact on sea, land and biodiversity. Such impacts are very well documented by numerous scientific researches.

    This is why, after having visited Falklands and being aware of the negative impact of salmon farming, I am more than happy to support the initiative Salmon Free Falklands.

  • Je suis venue 2 semaines en vacances au Falklands  en Décembre/Janvier 2023-2024 et 3 semaines en Décembre/Janvier 2025-2026et pour cela j'ai réservé ce voyage dès Février 2024!

    Je n'ai pas de famille ni d'amis aux Falklands. Je suis venue sur l'archipel pour sa beauté austère, sa grande biodiversité, sa faune exceptionnelle sa tranquillité et l'accueil des habitants. Je suis venue pour observer les animaux loin de la foule. 

    Il me semblait que le gouvernement de l'île et ses habitants  faisaient beaucoup d'effort pour protéger l'île et pour moi c'est un exemple de réussite en matière de gestion et de protection de la flore et de la faune. Cela a permis le retour de certaines espèces et l'accroissement de certaines colonies.

    Aussi je suis sidérée et très déçue quand j'ai appris qu'il y avait un projet d'installation de fermes piscicoles autour de l'île!

    Ces fermes sont un danger pour la biodiversité des Falklands et pour la protection de sa faune.

    Explications : 

    Le saumon est un poisson carnivore , il faut donc lui fournir de petits poissons pour les nourrir. L'alimentation des saumons d' élevage est composé d' au moins 60% de poissons capturés en mer. Ces petits poissons capturés constituent  la nourriture des manchots, albatros, cormorans... Accepter ceci, est en  complète contradiction avec les efforts qui sont faits pour protéger la faune existante.

    Le label Bio n'offre aucune garantie, les poissons élevés en bio mangent plus de poissons donc la concentration en contaminants dans leur chair est plus importante!

    Les saumons d'élevage peuvent s'échapper  (exemple Norvège février 2025) et , comme ils sont tous malades (poux de mer etc.) il risque d'infecter la faune sauvage. Ils ont pu s' échapper à cause de la détérioration des enclos suite aux tempêtes et il y a beaucoup de tempêtes aux Falklands donc des poissons vont s' échapper.

    Tous ces élevages utilisent beaucoup d'antibiotiques qui se dispersent dans la mer et touchent le reste de la faune marine.

    Les fonds marins sous les enclos sont recouverts d'excréments qui asphyxient les fonds marins, cela devient ds zones mortes.

    Je demande qu'uncun élevage de poissons ne soient installés dans la zone marine des Falklands.

    English translation:

    I came for a 2 week holiday in the Falklands in December/January 2023-2024 and for 3 weeks in December/January 2025-2026, and for that, I booked this trip in February 2024!

    I have no family or friends in the Falklands. I came to the archipelago for its austere beauty, its great biodiversity, its exceptional wildlife, its tranquility, and the friendliness of its inhabitants. I came to observe animals away from the crowds.

    It seemed to me that the island's government and its inhabitants made great efforts to protect the island, and for me, it is an example of successful management and protection of flora and fauna. This has allowed the return of certain species and the growth of some colonies.

    I was also stunned and very disappointed when I learned that there was a project to set up fish farms around the island!

    These farms are a danger to the biodiversity of the Falklands and to the protection of its wildlife.

    Explanation:

    Salmon is a carnivorous fish, so it needs to be fed small fish. The diet of farmed salmon is made up of at least 60% wild-caught fish. These small caught fish are food for penguins, albatrosses, cormorants... Accepting this is in complete contradiction with the efforts being made to protect the existing wildlife.

    The organic label offers no guarantee; organically farmed fish eat more fish, so the concentration of contaminants in their flesh is higher!

    Farmed salmon can escape (for example, Norway, February 2025) and, since they are all sick (sea lice, etc.), they risk infecting the wild fauna. They may have escaped due to the deterioration of the pens following storms, and there are many storms in the Falklands, so fish will escape.

    All these farms use a lot of antibiotics that disperse into the sea and affect the rest of the marine life.

    The seabed under the pens is covered with faeces, which suffocates the seabed, creating dead zones.

    I ask that no fish farms be established in the marine zone of the Falklands.

  • My name is Jonathan Good. I spent a month in the Falkland Islands in November 2024, visiting New Island, Beaver Island, Carcass Island, Sea Lion Island, and several wildlife-rich areas near Stanley. I’m a wildlife photographer and traveler, and I’ve been fortunate to visit many extraordinary places—but the Falklands stood apart to me and I made immediate plans, not only to return this following year but also to undertake an informal study of the plant and animal life there for a more informed return.

    What struck me most wasn’t just the abundance of wildlife, but the care and responsibility shown by the people living and working there. Every guide I traveled with emphasized the importance of not disturbing the animals—not altering their behavior in any way. We were also asked to take precautions to avoid spreading disease, particularly avian influenza. These were not just rules—they were reflections of a deep and shared respect for the fragile balance of life on the islands.

    That’s why the proposed introduction of salmon farming feels so profoundly out of step with that ethic.

    Industrial salmon farming would bring large-scale disturbance into one of the world’s few remaining intact marine ecosystems. Nutrient discharge, noise, artificial feed, waste buildup, and the risk of disease or escapees would all create pressure on a tightly woven and unusually narrow food web. This is not a place with layered redundancies or vast continental buffers. Here, everything is close-knit and specialized—especially for seabirds and penguins.

    Falklands penguins—Gentoos, Rockhoppers, Kings, and Magellanics—each rely on a specific mix of prey: krill, squid, and small fish. These species, in turn, depend on the health of phytoplankton and oxygen-rich waters. Even modest shifts in nutrient levels or oxygen can disrupt this flow. A salmon farm may appear isolated on the surface, but its impacts extend outward through water, prey, and behavior.

    Unlike places like Chile or Norway, the Falklands have no native salmonid populations. That means there’s no built-in ecological resilience or immunity to disease if (or when) farmed salmon escape. These fish would be an alien presence in waters that have evolved without them— carrying the potential to disrupt both wild species and microbial communities.

    And the ripple effects don’t stop with the water column. Sea lions—curious, intelligent, opportunistic—will absolutely change their behavior in response to fish pens. We’ve seen it elsewhere. Whether it’s attraction to easy meals, altered hunting patterns, or increased conflict with people, it changes the role these predators play in the system.

    Most importantly, this isn’t just a question of managing risk. It’s a question of values.

    When individuals are told to be careful not to disturb a penguin, yet an industry is invited to fundamentally alter the ecosystem those penguins depend on, we are making a clear and contradictory statement. We’re saying that large-scale disruption is tolerable—as long as it’s profitable.

    The Falkland Islands are not like anywhere else on earth. They are a pristine gem that deserve a different kind of decision—one rooted in ecological consistency, not economic mimicry.

    The question we must ask is not simply whether salmon farming can be managed, but whether it belongs here at all.

    Sincerely,

    Jonathan Good

  • I have been visiting the Falkland for the last 11 years. We all know how the 700+ islands are rich with birdlife and cetaceans. So many scientific paper show the desastreous consequences of Salmon farming: contamination of waters, poor quality fish, release of these modified fish into the wild which can mix with wild Salmon, etc... it is useless, and only can be catastrophic. Just DON'T DO IT

  • Hello to the beautiful Falkland Islands a community I have visited and those visits will be cherished forever.

    Please do not allow salmon farming in your waters it will destroy your local ecosystems.

    Thank you for the opportunity to voice my concern for your community.

  • Please don’t pollute these incredibly beautiful and fragile environments with a damaging salmon farm. We have been to this area and it is a finely balanced ecosystem that deserves to be protected.

  • I was deeply touched by the pristine beauty of the Falklands when I visited this month (March 2025).

    The natural beauty of these islands and fragile ecosystems are one of the main attractions of the Falkland Islands.

    I am concerned about potential open-pen salmon farming because I have witnessed the impact of such farms where I live in Australia, such as those in Tasmania where the farms have destroyed the pristine environment and ecosystems. The salmon farms not only destroy the local environment but have significant impacts on wildlife that depend on the waters around the islands.

    I am strongly against open-pen salmon farming in any form because evidence shows this industry is harmful to the environment.

  • Je reviens d’un séjour d’un mois aux Iles Falkland. Notre but était d'approcher les colonies d’oiseaux, dans leur milieu naturel et sauvage. Quelle merveille de savoir qu’il existe encore des endroits sur terre où l’on peut admirer ses paysages et cette faune d’une beauté à couper le souffle. Je ramène de ce voyage des images inoubliables. Imaginer qu’il pourrait y avoir sur ces îles magiques des fermes d’élevage de saumon me révolte et m’attriste profondément. L’Homme est prêt à tout pour assouvir son besoin d’argent, toujours plus, toujours plus loin, et peu lui importe les conséquences néfastes sur l’environnement et la vie. Et ce n’est pas en ajoutant des fermes d’élevage de saumon que l’on réduira la faim dans le monde. Alors je crie NON, STOP à ces nouveaux projets que l’on sait polluants et dangereux pour les espèces qui ont encore la chance de vivre dans ces lieux.

    English translation:

    I have just returned from a month-long stay in the Falkland Islands. Our goal was to approach bird colonies in their natural and wild environment. How amazing to know that there are still places on earth where you can admire landscapes and breathtakingly beautiful wildlife. I brought back unforgettable images from this trip. To imagine that there could be salmon farms in these magical islands revolts and saddens me deeply. Man is ready to do anything to satisfy his need for money, always more, always further, and he does not care about the harmful consequences on the environment and life. The addition of salmon farms will not reduce world hunger. So, I shout NO, STOP to these new projects that we know are polluting and dangerous for the species that are still lucky enough to live in these places.

  • I visited the Falklands in January 2025. I was awed by the rugged natural beauty of the place and am deeply concerned about the potential impact of open pen salmon farming on this exceptional location. I've seen the negative impact of open-pen farming in other locations and it is clear that it negatively impacts tourism as well as the overall environment.

    I am against open-pen salmon farming in any form because evidence shows this industry is harmful to the environment, but am particularly concerned that it not impact this special place.

  • As a guide working on expedition ships to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands for the past 3 years I have seen how interconnected and delicate our marine ecosystems are.

    Working as a kayak guide in British Columbia as well I know all too well the effect of Salmon farms on the environment they are in. As a keystone species, wild salmon play an important role in nourishing the forest around the streams in which they head up to bread and complete their life cycle. Salmon farms pose a huge risk to the ecosystem they live in including the wild salmon that live around these areas. From sea lice, PRV and decomposing feces and flesh destroying the ocean floor, nothing in salmon farming is any good for the ecosystems they are raised in. The salmon Farming industry has greenwashed and made us believe that this practice is needed to feed the human population on the planet but it is only run by corporate greed and political lies.

    These salmon farms should not operate not only in the Falkland islands but also close its doors everywhere around the world. They have been banned by the Norwegian government, where they originated, because of all the risks it posed on their ecosystems. These cooperate greedy companies weaseled their way into other government agencies around the world promising a wealthy economy while hiding the true impacts.

    I am completely opposed to open net fish farming in any ocean setting around the world.

  • My name is Skip Novak and I am the managing director of Pelagic Expeditions. This is a yacht charter company that uses the Falklands not only as a base for launching off to South Georgia and the Antarctic, but also for providing logistic support for divers, wild life film teams and tourists within the Falkland archipelago itself.

    The use and more often mis-use of salmon farming is becoming more well known globally. It is no longer a secret how damaging this type of aquaculture can be and this is well publicized in countries like Chile, Norway and the UK. So much so, that many people have decided to forego what has become a cheap fish food for the table. It is a massive case of over production.

    I was shocked when it hit the news that salmon farming was in the pipeline for the Falklands. Irrespective of the damage that will be done to the environment and the inevitable escape of salmon into the ecosystem displacing native species ( what is currently happening in Tierra del Fuego) the last thing a group of tourists would want to see are salmon pens in an otherwise pristine bay or cove. It is a huge negative.

    Although the commercial interests are no doubt over bearing, I would hope the MLA's will take an enlightened view on this, looking to the long term in maintaining the unique environment the Falklands has to offer.

  • I had the good fortune to be in the Falklands where we were able to visit several months ago—great people, beautiful landscape, and unique animal/bird life.

     We did a lot of hiking in that beautiful landscape. We visited the albatross colonies where albatross were nesting, along with rockhopper penguins and blue-eyed shags, all in a symbiotic relationship. All of the birds were using the pristine waters surrounding the islands for feeding.

    Not so far away, Tasmania has a huge salmon farming enterprise. It is said by marine scientists that essentially the ocean is dead in the area where this massive industrial complex is happening. The native fish have died.  Therefore, the impact on marine mammals has been dramatically impacted. There are multiple factors involved with this, antibiotics and other chemicals given to the salmon because they are in an unhealthy and unnaturally crowded environment, similar to the cattle feedlots in the United States.  Salmon escape frequently and are suddenly in the open water to continue contaminating other fish.  Effluent which is rich in toxic heavy metals and a wide-range of chemicals is released and has not only damaged and killed the surrounding ocean, but it has permeated the natural drinking water on the mainland. There is a solid bed of evidence about the numerous hazards of salmon farming.  This cannot be news to you.  I am sure you are quite aware of this devastating situation, and choose to ignore and proceed with your proposal.  Washington state in the US has now banned salmon farming because it has been proven to be disastrous to indigenous people, to the ocean, and to nature generally. 

    For me, the natural beauty of the Falklands deserves preservation, not exploitation.  This is where the reputation for the Falklands belongs, not with the rotting underbelly of the salmon industry.  Please have a bit of concern for something other than a lame plan to make money.

  • I recently returned from a two-week holiday in the Falklands, and I am deeply concerned about the potential introduction of salmon fish farms, or any fish farms, to this pristine environment.

    As a UK resident with extensive experience on the west coasts of Ireland and Scotland, I have witnessed first hand the devastating impact of salmon fish farms on marine life. The untreated effluent released into sheltered bays in the West of Scotland is equivalent to the untreated sewage from 2.5 million people. In addition to the visible impact the pollution has led to the decimation of shellfish populations, creating toxic zones where marine life is suffocated by waste on the sea floor. Marine predators are notably absent due to disease and deterrent measures employed by fish farms. Orcas are unable to reproduce. The mothers give berth but their milk is toxic for their calves and so they die poisoned by their own mothers milk. The chemicals used by the fish farms may be implicated.

    The Falklands are renowned for their pristine marine environment. The introduction of such levels of toxins would inevitably harm penguins and seals. Additionally, the deterrent measures used to protect fish farms would disrupt the behavior of these species. This environmental degradation would also negatively impact the Falkland Islands' tourism industry and tarnish the reputation of the islanders.

    Argentina could argue that the Falkland islanders are no longer fit to manage their own affairs if they are willing to jeopardize the unique environment that they are guardians of. Images of drowned penguins stuck in nets is not going to enhance the reputation of the islands. Cruise ship passengers from all over the world are unlikely to visit a place tarred with such negative imagery,

    One of my primary reasons for visiting the Falklands was to experience its unspoiled environment and observe the incredible wildlife, including penguins, elephant seals, and albatrosses. Does the Falklands truly want to create "death zones" around its coast, which would be both eyesores of urban decay and catastrophic for the animals that define the islands? Why put the Falklands at risk?

    It's difficult to think of a greater act of self harm than to introduce salmon fish farms to the Falkland Islands.

Speaking from experience

  • I live in British Columbia and have witnesses the demise of our Wild Salmon population and health over the decades. SE Alaska which has the same length of coastline, refused to allow farmed Salmon in their area and they harvest 9 to 12 times the amount of Wild Salmon we do. We once had as much if not more harvest however the fish farms decimated our commercial fishery.

    The way I see it, the only reason big multinational companies want farms in the Falklands is because they are going to diminish the feed fish to make cheaper pellets for the farmed Salmon. They care nothing about your economy or sustainability. I have and still am witnessing it here. It is a greed driven initiative that tries to pull you in with words such as 'sustainable' 'local economy' 'affordable protein' 'healthy food' 'providing for the world' etc. The only thing true about these words in local economy but it comes at a huge price.

    Without a doubt in my mind, your Penguins will be affected due to reduced feed and possibly disease. It is a lot easier to say NO now that to say yes now, realize it was a huge mistake and then remove the fish farms at a later date as the Canadian Government is doing now. I know you don't know me but you HAVE to trust me on this one. I am happy to elaborate when I come to your beautiful Islands in December.

    This is one fight you need to win. The issue starts as environmental decimation and morphs into community division as some are greed driven and most recognize the severely detrimental effect they will have on your existing environment and things living within this environment.

  • Living with salmon farms in Scotland. July 2026

    My Background is in marine science, I have worked for salmon farms, audited them for the RSPCAA welfare scheme, and worked for the ‘Tripartite working group’ which was meant to improve relations between salmon farms, government and wild fish interests. I have worked with fisheries trusts where the focus is wild salmon and sea trout, and with inshore fishermen. I have farmed shellfish and now work in seabed habitat restoration. 

    I was born and raised on the West Coast of Scotland, where foreign owned salmon farms are ubiquitous. I can see one out of the window now, in the loch beside my house, and hear it too as generators rev to power feed ‘cannons’ which blast pelletised fish from somewhere else – perhaps thousands of miles away – into the pens to feed the trapped salmon.  It is noisy, smelly and very visible, often 24/7 as generators and compressors run to pump oxygen for fish, or to power banks of lights through the night in the winter to manipulate fish maturity, or as well boats come and go pumping fish through the night for harvest or treatments with lights strobing through windows.  It is as unpleasant as living beside any other industrialised factory farm.

    I live beside a village called Ullapool that was built on herring, or ‘the Silver Darlings’ as they are called here, due to their once enormous importance as a fishery in Scotland. That fishery is now largely extinct, and herring, along with other nutritious, delicious, food grade fish are now targeted and milled to feed a sad replacement in the form of farmed salmon, it is not as good for you as the fish it is being fed, and keeping carnivorous fish alive in small pens is terrible for the environment. It is an extractive, polluting and cruel food system that makes zero sense.

    Though it can be swamped by the constant propaganda the salmon farming industry churns out to market its product, there is a huge body of science available on the many and significant issues around salmon farming. From the massive and rising chemical and antibiotic use, to the thousands of tonnes of fish shit flowing unfettered into coastal waters to the detriment of seabed habitats that support commercially important species. There are detailed reports on the unsustainability of an industry that relies so heavily on already struggling wild fish stocks – and now krill – to provide fish oil and fish meal, and there are reports on the amount of public money that this foreign industry extracts from UK taxpayers; money that would be better spent on locally owned businesses.  If you would like links to any of the above let me know, but what I really want to get across is what terrible neighbours salmon farms are, rich, but manipulative. Once you let them in, they will be incredibly hard to get rid of, and one of the worst aspects is that people have very different views on salmon farms depending on whether they are making money from them, or being impacted by them; this splits communities.

    The industry does not care about creating jobs, they care about profit, it makes a few people very rich, whilst diminishing the quality of life for the people that actually live and work alongside the farms. There is a constant drive to automate as it means less money spent on wages, and more revenue for shareholders.  Our local sites employed 22 less people from one year to the next, but their revenue went UP.  As a community we are lied to regularly as the local company seeks further developments which impact our lives, or as they try and downplay their impacts to regulators when locals complain. They ‘community wash’ by infiltrating schools and sports events with sponsorship and free salmon meals in a cynical corporate takeover of education and culture.  

    Like the Falklands, Scotland’s west coast is famed for its beauty and peace, that is why people come here to live, and it’s why tourists visit, but salmon farming means the steady industrialisation of rural and remote areas that locals have had no say in.  It is increasingly hard to find a view of a loch without a whopping salmon farm smack in the middle, with its snaking feed pipes and ferry sized feed barge blotting the horizon, plus the constant racket of generators and feed pellets ricocheting off pipes as they are blasted into the pens to feed the salmon.  We have various issues with their pollution, from the huge lengths of feed pipe that get detached and cast up on beaches in storms, to the tiny microplastics which are abraded from the feed pipes, polystyrene beads from flotation, and the pervading stench of dead salmon as ‘morts’ are stored and transported around Scotland, leaking dead fish juice over ferry car decks and roads.  Birds are trapped and die in the top nets, and in the submarine ‘anti predator’ nets which surround the farms to try (they don’t work) and protect the salmon from seals.

    Apparently, Scotland’s waters are getting too warm to farm salmon, with companies often blaming their staggering mortality levels on water quality issues out with their control.  No one is future proofing the existing workforce, looking at a just transition for them from salmon farming to alternative employment, or investing in a fund to help clean up the mess that we are being left with. When salmon farms withdraw from here as they surely must, we will be left with nothing but a legacy of pollution and conflict.

    A short film on the ‘relationship’ between the community and our local salmon farm - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An60A5HcWuY&t=911s

  • I have fingers crossed for you that you can keep salmon out of the Falklands. It's a total mess here in Tasmania. Our local group (Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection) has a campaign going to get the pens out of Long Bay at Port Arthur, but it goes on and on with our EPA stalling and stalling on the decision we have requested to NOT renew the Environmental Licence for Tassal/Cook to operate in Long Bay. The licences come up for renewal every 1 - 2 years and the same applies to Macquarie Harbour where all the evidence is there that Salmon MUST be removed if we have any chance of saving the endangered Maugean Skate. But just today (13 March 2026) government has announced that they may extend the finfish licences from annual renewals to 10 year terms!!!!! It's heartbreaking that the industry has so much power and our environmental departments - NRE & EPA - do nothing to protect our environment.

    As Louise Cherrie indicated when she was in the Falklands last year: just don't let them get a toe in the door. It's not just what will happen in your islands, it's also the ongoing destruction of sardine, krill and other fisheries to provide feed to grow out the salmon. And then the whole industry is a "plastics" industry. There's a growing concern/awareness that it's impossible to account for the nano-plastics that are getting into the food chain from abrasion of the pipes and nets etc that form the pens. And where will the old nets and pipes etc be recycled or taken to??? We have no recycling in Tassie and its going into landfill.

  • Norske Lakseelver (Norwegian Salmon Rivers) opposes the introduction of open-pen salmon farming in the Falkland Islands.

    Our position is based on extensive real-world evidence from Norway demonstrating that open systems create unavoidable risks to wild fish through parasite transfer, disease spread, escapes, and genetic impacts. These risks are systemic rather than incidental and have contributed to the current crisis facing wild Atlantic salmon.

    Salmon farming must be transformed to production methods that physically separate farmed fish from the natural environment. Introducing open-net pens into previously unaffected ecosystems would repeat known environmental harm.

     The precautionary approach is clear: protect wild fish and the environment first and avoid establishing open-net salmon farming in sensitive marine environments.

  • I live on the west coast of Canada and seen the unwanted effects of Fish Farming.  The Falkland Islands does not need to endure the associated environmental damage and should take all steps to avoid it.

    I urge you to walk away from this foolish idea.

  • I am a person who cares about the local ecology and protecting native wildlife. I ask that you BAN commercial net pen aquaculture in the Falklands. The impacts of this industry is detremental to native flora and fauna around the world. In my home, many many kilometers away, we just enacted a ban on such practices in part to support our fragile Southern Resident Killer Whale population, after disaster struck back in 2017 when these commercial pens released non-native fish into the Puget Sound. Please avoid our mistakes and keep salmon out of the Falkland Islands. https://www.dnr.wa.gov/news/board-natural-resources-ends-open-sea-net-pen-salmon-farms-washington-waters

  • I oppose to salmon farming in the Falklands due to concerns over its environmental impact, including risks to native marine ecosystems, pollution, and potential harm to wild fish populations.

  • No to salmon farming!

  • I have witnessed the devastation of the marine ecosystem in Tasmania from the salmon farms placed there. There are multiple dead zones in the Derwent river, where numerous species once thrived. Mutated salmon with diseases are escaping out of the pens into the wild, posing threat to native species. Humans do not need salmon to survive. Salmon farming should be done on land where their waste is contained.

  • I live in Tasmania. We have open pen salmon farming here - although calling them farmers is an insult to true farmers. This is a polluting industry and a divive influence. Salmon companies here are foreign owned, secretive and bullying.

    Do what you can to keep them out.

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These witness statements are people’s opinions. Salmon Free Falklands does not take responsibility for the statements’ contents