BBC presenter and naturalist Chris Packham has called on a British restaurant giant to stop serving farmed salmon.
Wagamama, which serves Japanese-inspired Asian food at more than 170 sites across the UK, is being pressured to drop farmed salmon from its menus.
Packham, the president of the RSPCA, called farmed salmon an “environmental disaster” – and more than 100,000 people have signed a petition urging the restaurant chain to take action.
The petition claims that salmon farming sees "chemical pesticides, fish faeces, and diseases flowing from salmon farms [that] can have fatal consequences for other marine life".
READ MORE: Farmed Scottish salmon secures protected legal status to prevent food fraud
The petition also claims that some salmon farms use feed sourced from West African waters and contribute to food crises in the region.
However, a Wagamama spokesperson said their salmon comes from Norwegian and Scottish suppliers that do not use feed from West Africa.
They added that, by the end of 2024, Wagamama will only use Scottish salmon from RSPCA-approved sites. Industry body Salmon Scotland said that no Scottish sites use feed sourced from West African fisheries.
Campaigners said a “growing movement” of restaurateurs and caterers were turning away from farmed salmon, pointing to Wimbledon going salmon-free as one example.
They claim that damage inflicted by farmed salmon includes waste food, pesticides, and faecal matter flowing into marine ecosystems, as well as mass fish die offs due to overcrowding and disease.
The petition was coordinated by campaign groups Feedback, WildFish, and Eko.
The groups pointed to Wagamama’s stated company philosophy, which says: “‘Kaizen’ meaning ‘continual improvement’ is the Japanese philosophy we live by.
“It inspires us to do better in all that we do. To make small positive choices every day for big change. We’ve been practising kaizen since 1992, when we opened as a single restaurant in London’s Bloomsbury, inspired by fast-paced Japanese ramen bars.”
Wagamama’s website adds: “We believe in small choices for big change. Because progress takes time and begins with all of us.”
Packham said: “Farmed salmon is an environmental and social disaster.
“It’s time for Wagamama to step up to their sustainability credentials and take farmed salmon off the menu.”
Rachel Mulrenan, the director of WildFish (Scotland), said: “The damage being done by open-net salmon farming to our environment, the health and welfare of wild and farmed fish, and global communities is clear to see.
“This unsustainable industry has lost its social licence; the sheer number of UK and international chefs and restaurants choosing to remove farmed salmon from their menus is testament to this.
READ MORE: 'Unsustainable': Disease halves profits of Scottish salmon farming firm
“If Wagamama is truly committed to ‘an earth positive future’ then it too must commit to taking farmed salmon off its menu.”
A Wagamama spokesperson said: “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Wagamama, including how we source from and work with our suppliers, which is why all our salmon is sustainably sourced from Scottish and Norwegian fisheries that do not use feed from West Africa.
“These fisheries are accredited by GlobalGAP, the world’s leading standard for seafood farmed with care. They set strict requirements for responsible seafood farming that require producers to farm with care for fish, the environment and the people on and around the farm.
“We regularly ensure that all our suppliers adhere to our strict sourcing policy, as well as conducting routine audits and site visits to verify compliance, traceability and transparency.
“Our current procurement process means that by the end of 2024 all future Wagamama salmon will be sourced only from Scottish fisheries which are in addition RSPCA accredited.
“At Wagamama we believe in continual improvement and are always looking to expand our sustainability goals. The part we must play as a brand is extremely important and the small decisions we make can create big change and whilst progress takes time, it begins with all of us.”
A Salmon Scotland spokesperson said: “Scottish salmon farmers provide the highest welfare standards anywhere in the world for the animals in their care, and are independently certified by RSPCA Assured.
“No Scottish salmon farmers use marine ingredients sourced from West African fisheries.
“Scottish salmon is recognised as the best in the world, and there is increasing demand from restaurants and chefs for our nutritious fish raised in the waters off the Highlands and islands.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel