Site Details: Loch A Chairn Bhain

Badcall Salmon House
Scourie, Lairg
Sutherland
IV27 4TH
Operator: Loch Duart Ltd
Water type: Seawater

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Average female lice per fish

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Salmon Scotland mortality

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Cumulative mortality over full production cycle

Loch a Chairn Bhain Production cycle end date: Jan 2019
Total losses: 37.1 %

Loch a Chairn Bhain Production cycle end date: Jan 2021
Total losses: 18.9 %

Loch a Chairn Bhain Production cycle end date: Jan 2023
Total losses: 20.6 %

Loch a Chairn Bhain Production cycle end date: Jan 2025
Total losses: 30.4 %

Source

Fish Health Inspectorate mortality

Date:
28/11/22-04/12/22
Mortality:
858
Mortality Rate:
1.68%
Reason given: Seal predation
Seal predation
First mortality report of the year. Business correspondent contacted, awaiting their response. FHI to monitor.
Date:
12/12/22-18/12/22
Mortality:
797
Mortality Rate:
1.83%
Reason given: Seal predation
Seal predation
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net
Business correspondent contacted. Site harvesting. Small number of fish on site. Hoping to fallow in the next two weeks. FHI to monitor.
Date:
19/12/22-26/12/22
Mortality:
1,207
Mortality Rate:
2.82%
Reason given: Seal predation
Seal predation
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net
FHI to monitor.
Date:
26/12/22-01/01/23
Mortality:
700
Mortality Rate:
2.54%
Reason given: Seal Predation
Seal Predation
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net
Business correspondent contacted for futher information. FHI to monitor. Update 12/01/2023: Site now fallow as of 12th Jan.
Date:
02/01/23-08/01/23
Mortality:
426
Mortality Rate:
2.12%
Reason given: Seal Predation
Seal Predation
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net
Site now fallow since 12/01/2023. No further action.
Date:
09/01/23-15/01/23
Mortality:
230
Mortality Rate:
3.57%
Reason given: Seal predation
Seal predation
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net
Site now fallow since 12/01/2023. No further action.
Date:
10/07/23-16/07/23
Mortality:
5,661
Mortality Rate:
1.14%
Reason given: Seal predation
Seal predation
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net
Business correspondent contacted for futher information. FHI to monitor.
Date:
11/09/23-17/09/23
Mortality:
4,661
Mortality Rate:
1.09%
Reason given: Seal predation
Seal predation
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net
Mortality attributed to predation, not disease. FHI to monitor
Date:
02/10/23-08/10/23
Mortality:
8,913
Mortality Rate:
2.15%
Reason given: Seal predation
Seal predation
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net
FHI to monitor.
Date:
09/10/23-15/10/23
Mortality:
8,699
Mortality Rate:
2.15%
Reason given: Seal predation/gill health
Seal predation/gill health
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net
FHI to monitor. Updated notification provided 27/10/23, figures updated.
Date:
16/10/23-22/10/23
Mortality:
8,674
Mortality Rate:
2.19%
Reason given: Seal predation/gill health (AGD)
Seal predation/gill health (AGD)
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net; freshwater treatments completed this week
FHI to monitor.
Date:
23/10/23-29/10/23
Mortality:
15,110
Mortality Rate:
3.9%
Reason given: Seal predation / gill health (AGD)
Seal predation / gill health (AGD)
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net; freshwater treatments scheduled for next week
Site inspection completed on the 1/11/2023 diagnostic samples taken and will be arriving at the lab on the 3/11/2023.
Date:
30/10/23-05/11/23
Mortality:
9,424
Mortality Rate:
2.55%
Reason given: Seal predation/ gill healt (AGD)
Seal predation/ gill healt (AGD)
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net; freshwater treatments underway
FHI visited. Diagnostic samples taken, awaiting results.
Date:
06/11/23-12/11/23
Mortality:
10,601
Mortality Rate:
3.24%
Reason given: Seal predation / gill health (AGD)
Seal predation / gill health (AGD)
Freshwater treatments completed this week
FHI visited w/b 30/10 and diagnostic samples taken. Positive results for AGD, Paranucleospora theridion, SGPV, Pseudomonas fluorescens, CGD and SRS. Site is also fitted with HDPE nets and predator nets.
Date:
13/11/23-19/11/23
Mortality:
3,757
Mortality Rate:
1.3%
Reason given: Seal predation/ gill health (AGD)
Seal predation/ gill health (AGD)
Site fitted with HDPE pen nets & predator net; freshwater treatments now completed
Diagnostic samples collected case number 2023-0479, complex gill disease and SRS.
Date:
06/10/25-12/10/25
Mortality:
25,533
Mortality Rate:
3.29%
Reason given: Sea lice/Sea lice treatment/AGD
Sea lice/Sea lice treatment/AGD
Site currently treating with Salmosan (wk 42)
Business contacted for last 2 weeks mortalities.
Date:
13/10/25-19/10/25
Mortality:
23,376
Mortality Rate:
3.12%
Reason given: Sea lice/Sea lice treatment/AGD
Sea lice/Sea lice treatment/AGD
Salmosan treatments completed. FW Bath planned
Awaiting further information.
Date:
20/10/25-26/10/25
Mortality:
35,420
Mortality Rate:
4.87%
Reason given: Sea lice/Sea lice treatment/AGD
Sea lice/Sea lice treatment/AGD
Salmosan treatments completed. FW Bath planned
Awaiting further information.
Date:
27/10/25-02/11/25
Mortality:
89,885
Mortality Rate:
13%
Reason given: Sea lice/Sea lice treatment/AGD
Sea lice/Sea lice treatment/AGD
Salmosan treatments completed. FW Bath with FLS planned
FHI visit scheduled.
Date:
03/11/25-09/11/25
Mortality:
65,633
Mortality Rate:
10.91%
Reason given: AGD
AGD
FW treatments undertaken completed week 46
FHI visited 05/11/25 (case number 2025-0431), diagnostic samples collected. Awaiting results.
Date:
10/11/25-16/11/25
Mortality:
52,071
Mortality Rate:
9.71%
Reason given: AGD
AGD
FW treatments undertaken and completed week 46
FHI visited 05/11/25 (case number 2025-0431), diagnostic samples collected. Complex gill issues.
Date:
17/11/25-23/11/25
Mortality:
14,260
Mortality Rate:
2.95%
Reason given: AGD
AGD
FW treatments undertaken and completed week 46
FHI visited 05/11/25 (case number 2025-0431), diagnostic samples collected. Complex gill issues.
Date:
24/11/25-30/11/25
Mortality:
5,760
Mortality Rate:
1.23%
Reason given: AGD
AGD
FW treatments undertaken and completed
FHI visited 05/11/25 (case number 2025-0431), diagnostic samples collected. Complex gill issues.

Source

Inspection reports

Case Number: 2022-0127


Download Wrasse mix of wild caught (from GB) and farmed (Otter Ferry).
The site is composed by two pen groups: Reintraid and Torgawn. One dead runt was observed during the inspection and 6 fish with tail damage, possibly caused by seals as the farm manager explained they have been suffering from predation lately.
They have tried to increase the tension of the predator netting to help mitigate the issue. These fish were swimming very actively within the pens. The main population displayed good feeding response and looked healthy, with minimal sea lice load.
The fish sampled for the VMD were in healthy conditions and no sea lice was observed on them.
Sea lice counts (adult female/fish) in week 15 2022 were 1.6 so the site is currently being treated with Salmosan (weeks 16 &
17). [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2023-0479


Download Mort reports weeks 11/9/23 1.01% seal predation; 2/10/23 2.15% Seal predation; 9/10/23 1.57 (updated to 2.15%)Seal predation. Site fitted with high-density polyethylene - HDPE pen nets & predator net gill health treating - finished last Monday. FW treatment. wrasse wild caught - Skye and Scourie and local. Not vaccinated
Harvests dead haul to Dingwall. Recorded in Fish Talk
Morts DHK waste - whole fish in skips at Badcall shore base - transfer notes- of movements off to Fordyce in Portsoy.
All fish on site from Loch Duart - Loch na Thule and Duart Mhor Hatchery
Morts wk 38 0.86%; wk39 0.98%; wk40 2.15%, wk 41 2.15% - seal predation and gill issues (wks 40 and 41) fish taken for VMD on starve for FW wellboat treatment
Site inspection, and (supervised). Sampling observed by [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2025-0144


Download 12 pens stocked in the beginning of March from Ormsary Smolt Unit (FS0575) and a further 2 pens stocked from Duartmore
(FS0770) at the start of April.
Good visibility in the pens, fish appeared in good condition shoaling deep in the water and displaying a strong feeding response. One dead fish (runt) observed across the whole site, no moribunds or lethargic fish visible in the pens. Fish sampled for the VMD appeared healthy both internally and externally, no clinical signs observed. Some caligus observed on the fish sampled for VMD - about 1 per fish.
The site is authorised for 16 pens, however there are currently 14 in the water as the remaining 2 are still being built. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2025-0431


Download Recent mortality (last 4 weeks):
Wk 41; 977g 3.29% Sea lice/Sea lice treatment/AGD 25,533 Site currently treating with Salmosan
Wk42; 1.1Kg 3.12% Sea lice/Sea lice treatment/AGD 23,376 Salmosan treatments completed. FW Bath planned
Wk43; 1.1Kg 4.87% Sea lice/Sea lice treatment/AGD 35,420 Salmosan treatments completed. FW Bath planned
Wk 44; 13%, 89805 across site attributed to AGD and sea lice
Wk45; 10.91% 65633 across site attributed to AGD and sea lice
No movements other than mortalities on or off site since last inspection. Mortalities are removed from site whole in sealed tubs to a skip at Badcall before being transported by Gogar for disposal.
On inspection of the site a number of moribund fish (estimate 100 per pen) were observed at the perimeter with in excess of
40 lice and white grazing damage was observed on the heads and behind the dorsal fins. When removed from the water the grazing damage was not visible. The rest of the fish in the pens were displaying increased jumping activity. Fish removed for diagnostic examination had ragged and slightly pale gills.
Inspection 5/11/25 - case paperwork 12/11/25 as health team were out visiting another site with FHI on day of inspection.
Vet visit conducted 16/10/25
Treatments; wk 22 salmosan, wk30 Slice, Wk37 FW and FLS and wk41-42 salmosan treatment, Six hour FW treatment and
FLS treatment started 12/11/25 with the wellboat Kvaloy which was treating fish at Gob Na Hoe . [Original PDF]

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