Sir, - The parallel between the behaviour of the tobacco industry over smoking-related illness and that of the government bodies in relation to the sea trout collapse is truly remarkable. We read that a spokesman from Gallahers recently told a Dail committee that a direct causal link between smoking and lung cancer has not been proven. As it happens, a few days earlier, the chief executive officer of the Central Fisheries Board told the Dail Public Accounts Committee that no direct link had been established between lice on salmon farms and those on sea trout.
As has been pointed out in your columns, the medical profession commonly accepts epidemiological evidence as proof of a relationship; and presumably, if the warnings on cigarette packets are to be believed. Government bodies accept this. Why, then, are they seemingly unable to accept the much stronger evidence which links salmon farms with the sea trout collapse? Lice-infested sea trout coupled with a population collapse have been found in areas of Ireland, Scotland and Norway where sea-cage farming is practised, but not in any area devoid of fish farms. Moreover, cause and effect has been established since sea trout populations have recovered where the local farms have been empty of fish and collapsed again when lice control has failed.
The July 4th issue of New Scientist cites evidence from DNA testing which indicates that lice on Scottish sea trout were of fishfarm origin - the direct link which has been denied. Will this be enough to end this evasive nonsense? - Yours, etc., Prof. Graham G. Shaw,
Chairman, Save Our Sea Trout, Windgates, Bray, Co Wicklow.