Tesco cuts ties with one of Bakkafrost’s farms after a legal breach in which lice-infested salmon were left in a pen.
Animal Equality UK is calling on Tesco to cut ties with salmon producer Bakkafrost after uncovering serious animal welfare and legal breaches at the company’s Aird site in Scotland. The Bakkafrost site is leased from Crown Estate Scotland and is RSPCA Assured.
Fish left to starve
The Scottish salmon farm was reported by industry to be completely empty of fish (‘fallow’), but covert footage revealed this was not the case. Footage shows the fish are hauntingly lethargic; the salmon left at the site are seen exhibiting signs of prolonged suffering due to sea lice infestations, open wounds, and visible lesions. Photographic evidence obtained by Animal Equality UK reveals that the specific fish farm in question supplies salmon for Tesco’s Finest product line.
Tesco suspends the farm
After seeing our footage, the specific site has been suspended by Tesco. We welcome this move, but given the severity of this issue we are urging Tesco to go further and cut ties with all Bakkafrost salmon farms. How can we be sure that similar incidents are not taking place on other farms operated by this company?
Send Tesco’s CEO, Ken Murphy, a polite message urging the supermarket to drop Bakkafrost as a supplier.
Regulators refuse to comment
According to the company’s Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR) license, the farm was required to remain fallow to reduce the buildup of lice, disease, and chemical pollution. However, whistleblowers informed the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) in June 2025 that fish remained at the site despite the company falsely stating in reports to regulators that it was fallow, in breach of its operating license.
Animal Equality followed up with a formal legal complaint in August 2025, but authorities refuse to disclose to the charity what action, if any, has been taken. The Scottish Duty Vet responded, after prompting, to confirm receipt of the complaint on 14th October, stating “we cannot comment on specific cases”.
This is potentially a very serious crime. Abandoning fish who are trapped in cages on a farm that should have been empty is both unlawful and cruel. It shows a shocking disregard for animal welfare and the regulations in place. This footage sends a disturbing message about Bakkafrost’s standards. The Scottish salmon farming industry operates under a veil of secrecy, where malpractice can be hidden and accountability is rare.
—Abigail Penny, Executive Director of Animal Equality UK
Lice and disease in Scottish salmon farms
Under Scottish environmental and aquaculture regulations, fallow periods are designed to break cycles of parasites and diseases that thrive in intensive fish farming environments. Failing to follow these measures not only endangers animal welfare, but also increases environmental contamination from chemicals used to treat infestations.
The revelation follows a recent escape of 75,000 farmed salmon from a Scottish site during a storm, raising fresh concerns about biosecurity and ecological damage. Experts warn that escaped farmed fish may interbreed with wild salmon and trout, threatening fragile native populations and undermining years of conservation work.
Industry expansion must be halted
Earlier this year, the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee published findings from its nine-month inquiry into the salmon industry, concluding that it “questions the long-term viability of the sector” due to growing concerns over animal welfare, environmental pollution, and regulatory failures.
This latest breach shows once again just how broken this industry is and that it will flout the few rules that are already in place. From mass escapes to secret suffering, the evidence is mounting. Regulators must act decisively.
—Abigail Penny, Executive Director of Animal Equality UK
Protect Fish
Scientists confirm that fish feel pain and suffer. Protect these sensitive beings by choosing plant-based alternatives to animal food products.
