Salmon exposed to banned chemicals unwittingly sold by UK supermarkets

So-called 'organic' salmon products being sold by UK supermarkets have actually been exposed to banned toxic pesticides which are linked to neurological disorders, MailOnline can reveal.

Norwegian firm Mowi, which describes itself as the 'world's largest supplier of farm-raised salmon and most sustainable protein producer' has been selling fish exposed to dozens of chemicals to UK supermarkets as 'organic' produce.

The company - which supplies Tesco, Sainsbury's and Ocado - has exploited a loophole in legislation which allowed it to proclaim salmon organic if it had not been treated with a pesticide in the last three months.

Due to the lengthy life-cycle of salmon farming and its shelf-life after the fish have been killed, supermarkets are likely to be unwittingly selling these products as 'organic' until the end of 2025, according to research by the Green Britain Foundation. 

But data from Mowi's farms show the fish were exposed to pesticide chemicals including azamethiphos, deltamethrin and emamectin benzoate in dozens of instances before becoming 'organic'.

Azamethiphos is an insecticide used in salmon farming to control parasites such as sea lice, but its effects have been linked to neurological disorders, decreasing male fertility, foetal abnormalities, chronic fatigue syndrome and Parkinson's disease.

All of the chemicals have toxic impacts on sea life and the environment. 

The Soil Association, which has strict regulations on products claiming to be organic, has a complete ban on certain pesticides including azamethiphos and emamectin benzoate.

It also prohibits more than two treatments a year in organic fish. 

But Mowi has allowed salmon from non-organic fish farms - where these pesticides are routinely used - to 'convert' to organic if they are not exposed to these chemicals for a three-month period regardless of their history.

At one salmon farm in Soay, fish arrived to be 'converted' to organic status but received four emamectin benzoate treatments, plus other chemical treatments, in just nine months.

The fish is now being sold as 'organic' in Sainsbury's and other supermarkets.

The farm at Soay continues to farm fish exposed to banned chemicals, with more treatments than permitted, and pass them off as organic after a three-month period of no treatment.

The farm was also at the heart of a major animal welfare row in which Chris Packham threatened to quit as head of the RSPCA after harrowing video footage emerged of fish missing tails and chunks out of their flesh.

Jamie Moyes, a former fish-farm worker turned anti salmon-farming activist, filmed the footage at Soay farm in May.

He said: 'Fish swimming around with parts of their body missing doesn't meet any type of welfare standards. It's horrific to look at - and must be agonising for the fish themselves.

'RSPCA Assured have endorsed this farm and given it their seal of approval. But the public are being mislead: these fish are suffering.'

Chris Packham said at the time: 'Imagine we were looking at pictures of sheep or cows grazing in a field with these horrific wounds or huge lumps missing from their bodies.

'There would be a national outcry. But because they're fish, it's as if that somehow makes it all right. Well it isn't all right. It's abhorrent.

'What's worse is that RSPCA Assured have justified what we see in this footage and given the farm a clean bill of health.

'Well, I'm the President of the RSPCA and I can't tell you that it's acceptable. I can't justify it. It absolutely horrific.

'I'm asking the RSPCA to shut down and review the RSPCA Assured scheme.'

At another 'organic' farm in Loch Sunart, Camas Glas, salmon were sourced from non-organic farms and subject to four prohibited emamectin benzoate treatments in four months, as well as two prohibited azamethiphos treatments.

It was first pictured being sold as organic in April in Sainsbury's.

And at Groatay farm in Bagh a' Chaise, its farms were stocked with non-organic fish in March 2023.

While at Groatay - an 'organic' farm - the fish were initially subjected to weekly chemical treatments before being exposed to two doses of emamectin benzoate in a series of nine treatments in just six months.

Dale Vince, founder of the Green Britain Foundation, said: 'This scandal with so-called 'organic' salmon is just the tip of the iceberg. 

'Not only are consumers being duped into paying premium prices for farmed salmon doused in toxic chemicals, but the entire practice of fish farming is an environmental disaster. 

'It's polluting our oceans, decimating wild fish populations, and causing immense animal suffering. The idea that any of this could be considered 'organic' is as absurd as burning fossil fuels and calling it green energy. 

'We need to move away from these harmful practices altogether and embrace alternatives that are truly sustainable and ethical. It's time we stop exploiting our oceans and start protecting them.'

A Mowi spokesperson said: 'Of the eight farms converted to organic farming methods, only one had used an early treatment with azamethiphos. The other seven farms had used limited amounts of emamectin benzoate and deltamethrin early within the juvenile stage of the growth cycle and more than sufficient time had passed to ensure no detectable levels of these compounds in the salmon.

'Azamethiphos, emamectin benzoate and deltamethrin are safe, licensed medicines for use under a veterinary care programme.

'Organic farming standards have allowed for the conversion of juvenile salmon into the organic farming programme by ensuring sufficient time under the organic farming status to achieve a regulated organic product.

'Mowi would like to reiterate that all salmon were farmed 100% in accordance with organic farm standards and that there were no residues present in the fish at the time of harvest.'