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Conservation groups say wild brown trout are growing to extraordinary sizes by feeding beneath salmon cages in Scotland’s freshwater lochs
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- Wild trout near Scottish salmon farms are reportedly growing up to 20 lbs. due to uneaten fish feed
- Conservationists warn these oversized trout, dubbed “Franken-trout,” could disrupt freshwater ecosystems and predator roles
- Salmon farm operator Cooke Aquaculture denies environmental harm and says its sites follow strict regulations and monitoring
Wild trout growing to as large as 20 lbs. near Scottish salmon farms have become the center of a growing environmental debate.
According to The Telegraph, conservationists allege that uneaten feed leaking from salmon cages operated by Cooke Aquaculture is allowing wild brown trout to gorge on nutrient-rich pellets, which are suspected to be causing them to grow far larger than normal.
Typical wild trout in Scottish lochs weigh well under 1 lb., with larger fish often reaching about 1.5 lbs. However, local conservation groups, including Green Britain Foundation, say trout gathering around some salmon farms have been reported to weigh up to 20 lbs.
“These monster wild trout grow to a size nature never intended,” Dale Vince, founder of the Green Britain Foundation, told the outlet. “They are Franken-trout gorging on what pours out of the cages.”
According to experts, wild brown trout are known to congregate around salmon pens to feed on surplus feed that falls through the net cages, otherwise known as cage-grazing.
Nick Underdown, Scotland director for conservation group WildFish, noted that artificially fattening wild trout on commercial fish feed could alter their role as predators within freshwater ecosystems. According to officials, a similar situation occurred in Shetland’s Loch of Cliff, where local fishing guides have reported seeing significantly larger trout since fish cages were introduced.
Cooke Aquaculture, which supplies retailers including Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Tesco, rejected broader environmental concerns.
A spokesperson told The Telegraph the company’s sites are “subject to strict environmental regulations and ongoing monitoring” and said antibiotics have not been used at its Loch of Cliff operation “for many years.”
The Scottish government also sought to reassure the public by acknowledging that some trout consume uneaten fish pellets and may grow larger than usual, but stated there is “no evidence that localised excess food derived from these sites affects the viability of brown trout populations.”
The debate comes amid broader criticism of salmon farming from environmental groups, which have also raised concerns about sea lice, fish waste and escaped farmed salmon potentially affecting wild populations.
Read the original article on People
