A wild salmon conservation group has called on a national supermarket chain to drop a supplier because of the levels of sea lice at their Highland fish farms.
The Salmon and Trout Association said that the “appalling” record of Wester Ross Fisheries means that they should lose a contract to supply Asda.
The supermarket said last night that they were looking into the issue.
The Salmon and Trout Association said that the latest reports for the north-west Highlands showed that fish farms operated by Wester Ross Fisheries in the Kennart to Gruinard area had numbers of adult female sea lice which exceeded the industry’s threshold between July and September.
The association said that the numbers exceeded the threshold throughout the year.
They called for Asda to “take a stand for wild salmon conservation” by ending their relationship with the fish farm company.
Hugh Campbell Adamson, the association’s chairman, said: “The sea-lice numbers in the region where Wester Ross Fisheries have all their marine farms are shocking and the salmon farmers in these areas have lost all control. We call on Asda to make a stand and end its relationship with Wester Ross Fisheries Limited in the interests of the conservation of Scotland’s iconic wild salmon and sea trout.
“Nor is this message just for Asda.
“All supermarkets must stop hiding behind opaque certification schemes that mean little in practice. They need to take an honest look at their producers and where they are found wanting, where they are causing damage to wild fish conservation, those producers should be dropped”.
Opponents of salmon farming claim it is responsible for infestations of sea lice spreading to wild stocks and killing fish.
An Asda spokeswoman said: “We take our responsibility on sourcing seriously and we are looking into this.”
West Ross Fisheries did not respond to requests for comment on the issue.