Scottish Sea Farms revises legal undertaking amid activist dispute.
Scottish Sea Farms (SSF) has revised the scope of its legal undertaking against activist Don Staniford, aligning it with the terms of an injunction previously won by Mowi in November 2024. The updated restrictions remove limitations on land bases, boats, vessels, drones, and a 15-metre exclusion zone, as well as prohibitions on encouraging others to engage in similar activities.
In a statement to SalmonBusiness, Staniford criticized the company for attempting to shield its operations from public scrutiny. “Norwegian giant Scottish Sea Farms—trading in Scotland as Norskott Havbruk—is still desperately trying to fence off the public waters around their salmon farms,” he said.
Staniford alleged that the legal action is a response to covert surveillance conducted at salmon farms across Scotland. “Judged by covert surveillance inside salmon farms across Scotland, it’s not surprising that this Leroy/SalMar-owned company has engaged expensive lawyers to suppress the ugly truth,” he claimed.
However, the revised undertaking still places significant legal constraints on Staniford’s activities. Should SSF pursue a permanent injunction, Staniford stated he is prepared to challenge the company in court.
“If Scottish Sea Farms want to enforce a permanent injunction—along the lines of Mowi’s or even more restrictive—then they will have to fight me in open court,” he said, adding that he looks forward to debating the public’s right to know about practices inside salmon farms and the legalities surrounding chattel trespass.
