GROWTH of Scotland’s fish farming industry could lead to more seals being shot unless new non-lethal deterrents are developed to keep them away, experts say.

A paper by the Scottish Association for Marine Science found the sea mammals would face the biggest impact from proposed salmon sector expansion.

Acoustic deterrent devices (ADDs) are the most common form of technology used to resolve the issue in Scotland at present.

But academics have called for new non-lethal methods to be developed to discourage the predators from attempting to hunt farmed fish, as questions still surround the effectiveness of ADDs. The report said: “Current downward trends in seal shootings are encouraging but these may stabilise or reverse in case of significant future expansion of the industry including into more remote, exposed and/or offshore areas.

“Over the years, the Scottish salmon sector has invested heavily in ADDs as a non-lethal alternative to shooting seals, but significant fundamental questions remain about the mechanisms and long-term efficacy of ADDs in deterring seals.

The Review of the Environmental Impacts Of Salmon Farming in Scotland Report has been submitted to Parliament ahead of an investigation into the industry.