“Our client has no reason to believe that Mr Staniford understands any of the identified risks, has the requisite biosecurity training or complies with the relevant biosecurity requirements.”
Faroese salmon farming giant Bakkafrost is the latest producer to threaten legal action in a bid to prevent salmon farming activist Don Staniford from accessing its farms in Scotland.
Bakkafrost has alleged multiple unauthorized entries by Staniford onto its property over recent years, substantiating its claims with evidence of several intrusions at its sites.
According to a letter sent from a law firm acting on behalf of the producer to Staniford, and seen by SalmonBusiness, the activist has until December to agree to cease his activity.
Bakkafrost breeds, rears and harvests salmon, from more than 60 sites across the West Coast of Scotland and Hebridean Isles.
The company aims to legally prohibit Staniford from entering or approaching within 15 meters of any part of its aquaculture sites, including structures, vessels, and pens.
Additionally, the company seeks to ban him from flying drones or operating unmanned underwater vehicles over or near their seabed leases and aquaculture sites. Staniford is also to be prevented from directing others to engage in these activities on his behalf.
“While our client respects your client’s right to peacefully and lawfully protest, and in no way seeks to interfere with the responsible exercise of that right, this does not give him the right to board, access or otherwise interfere with our client’s property,” wrote Bakkafrost’s lawyers.
“Indeed, in a case involving Greenpeace, the court was clear that the lack of access to a particular location is not destructive of the right of freedom of expression or freedom of assembly. In short, your client does not require access to our client’s facilities and premises to exercise his right to protest.”
In October, legal action by Mowi Scotland against Staniford in the Oban Sheriff Court resulted in the court dismissing Staniford’s defenses. The judgment rejected Staniford’s claim that an interdict would hinder his navigational rights and limit his activities as a campaigner or journalist.
Earlier this month, Scottish Sea Farms, a joint venture between Norway’s Leroy Seafood and SalMar, also initiated legal proceedings against Staniford at Oban Sheriff Court.
Activist banned from going within 50ft of Mowi’s salmon farms in Scotland
