Organic Salmon Certification Faces Transparency Pressure After Tribunal Ruling
In a landmark decision with significant implications for the UK's organic food sector, an information tribunal has compelled the Soil Association to disclose its salmon farm inspection reports to campaigners. The ruling comes amid mounting claims that certifying farmed salmon as "organic" may be misleading consumers about the true environmental and welfare standards of production.
Campaigners Challenge Organic Credentials
WildFish, the campaign group that brought the case, has long argued that labelling farmed salmon as organic represents what they term "unacceptable greenwashing." The organisation contends that certified organic salmon production methods remain fundamentally similar to conventional aquaculture operations, particularly regarding environmental discharge and chemical treatments.
"Inspection reports go to the heart of whether organic certification of salmon farming is credible at all," a WildFish spokesperson emphasised. "The fact that their disclosure was resisted, and had to be tested all the way to tribunal, only reinforces why independent scrutiny is essential."
Chemical Treatments in Organic Aquaculture
Critics of the current certification standards highlight that the Soil Association's Aquaculture Standard permits the use of chemical treatments that raise serious environmental concerns. A detailed 2023 report by WildFish documented specific instances where organic-certified salmon farms employed pesticides known to be harmful to marine ecosystems.
The investigation revealed that one certified farm had been treated with Deltamethrin, a chemical pesticide used to combat sea lice that is also highly toxic to lobsters and other marine invertebrates, on two separate occasions within a twelve-month period. The report further documented the use of formaldehyde, a recognised human carcinogen, to address fungal infections in fish at several organic aquaculture facilities.
Legal Battle Over Disclosure
This week's tribunal decision concludes an eighteen-month legal struggle that began when WildFish first requested access to the inspection reports under environmental information regulations in May 2024. The Soil Association Certification initially contested the request, arguing that as a non-public body, any legal disclosure obligations rested with its delegating authority, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The organisation appealed against an initial ruling by the Information Commissioner's Office, but this appeal was dismissed by the independent first-tier tribunal. This precedent-setting decision could potentially affect other control bodies operating within the organic food production sector, establishing clearer expectations regarding transparency and accountability.
Certification Body Responds
Dominic Robinson, chief executive of Soil Association Certification, responded to the ruling by stating that the organisation had never sought to withhold information from appropriate authorities. He explained that the certification body operates under contract to provide information to Defra, which then determines appropriate disclosure channels.
"It is the right reporting channels for the information, not the reporting of the information itself, that is in question and that we seek to ensure is clearly set out," Robinson clarified, emphasising the organisation's commitment to proper regulatory processes.
Future of Organic Salmon Standards
Concurrently with this legal development, the Soil Association has initiated a public consultation regarding potential tightening of its standards for organic salmon production. This move follows last year's warning from the organisation that it might withdraw from certifying salmon aquaculture entirely unless substantial progress on environmental and welfare issues was achieved by this summer.
The consultation represents a significant opportunity for stakeholders across the food industry, environmental sectors, and consumer groups to contribute to the evolution of organic aquaculture standards in the United Kingdom. As transparency increases through the tribunal-mandated disclosure, the debate around what truly constitutes "organic" salmon production is likely to intensify, potentially reshaping consumer expectations and industry practices in this growing sector of the UK food market.
