What happened at the Mowi fish farm in Loch Linnhe?

A severe storm, named Storm Amy, caused the escape of almost 75,000 farmed salmon from the Mowi fish farm in Loch Linnhe, Highlands.

What are the concerns about the escaped farmed salmon?

The escaped farmed salmon pose a serious threat to the already depleted wild salmon populations in the area, as they can breed with the wild fish and weaken the wild population.

Home / Environment / Severe Storm Damages Fish Farm, Releases 75,000 Farmed Salmon into Loch Linnhe

Severe Storm Damages Fish Farm, Releases 75,000 Farmed Salmon into Loch Linnhe

Q: How did the storm affect the Mowi fish farm?

The intense weather conditions caused the mooring anchors to drag, bringing the pen net into contact with a flotation pipe and causing a tear, leading to the massive escape of farmed salmon.

9 Oct

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Summary

75,000 farmed salmon escaped into Loch Linnhe after a fish farm was damaged by Storm Amy
Escaped fish pose risk to wild salmon populations, according to Scottish Greens MSP and charity
Mowi, the fish farm operator, is investigating the incident and regrets the escape

Severe Storm Damages Fish Farm, Releases 75,000 Farmed Salmon into Loch Linnhe

On 2025-10-09T18:24:14+00:00, it was reported that a severe storm, named Storm Amy, has led to the escape of almost 75,000 farmed salmon from a fish farm in Loch Linnhe, Highlands. The incident occurred last weekend when the intense weather conditions caused damage to a net pen at the Gorsten farm operated by Mowi, a major fish farm company.

According to Mowi, the storm's high winds caused the mooring anchors to drag, bringing the pen net into contact with a flotation pipe and causing a tear. Despite the challenging conditions, Mowi swiftly informed the relevant authorities, including local fisheries stakeholders, and is now conducting a full investigation into the matter.