“A former salmon farm manager was fined £800 at Lerwick Sheriff Court after admitting setting nets which could have resulted in the unlawful killing of seals.

Graham McNally, 52, of Sandveien, Lerwick, committed the offence while he worked as a regional fish farm manager  for Meridian Salmon Farms.

He pleaded guilty to using prohibited, non-selective nets at the salmon company’s Cloudin site in Vaila Sound when he appeared before sheriff Philip Mann today. Doing so could have resulted in the death of grey or common seals as they hunted out valuable salmon stocks.

McNally is the first person in the UK to be convicted of the offence under the Conservation (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1994 following a police raid and an investigation by the Scottish SPCA. The offence took place between 16th March 2011 and 1st August 2011.

The court heard insufficient care was taken to ensure nets were properly weighted to ensure a minimum danger could have been presented to seals or other wildlife…”

Source: The Shetland Times
To read the full article: http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2013/05/28/salmon-farm-worker-fined-800-for-setting-nets-which-could-have-killed-seals