Scottish fisheries minister Ross Finnie has taken scientists – and specifically the group behind a disparaging Science article on toxins in salmon – to task.

Speaking at a Brussels trade show, the minister said: “It’s very obvious that all of (the people involved with) Scottish Quality Salmon are demonstrating, by per adventure, that they are producing a quality product and are bucking the attempt of those who would seek to drive the industry down. There is no substance to the allegations and they (Scottish salmon industry) have bounced back.”

In his first public comments on the row, which blew up in January, Finnie continued: “You can never stop rogue scientists from making allegations. It’s deeply sad. And it’s maybe sad that people would give the allegations prominence. Within minutes (of the story breaking) SQS were out on the streets and getting the message out about our very high standards.”

Dr David Carpenter, a US academic, produced a study which showed the presence of toxins in farmed fish.

Mr Finnie went off for heart surgery just days before the media storm broke, with his attendance at the Brussels European Seafood Exposition being his first overseas engagement since his bypass operation.

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