Over 70,000 salmon have escaped from a fish farm off Colonsay after their cage was damaged in stormy weather.
Norwegian seafood firm Mowi confirmed the fish had broken free from a tear in specialist netting surrounding the enclosure during rough seas caused by Storm Brendan earlier this month.
READ MORE: Concerns raised after 11,000 farmed salmon enter rivers in Argyll and Bute
The company said an estimated 74,000 salmon had escaped - the third major incident from the firm’s sites in the last 12 months.
READ MORE: Concern for native fish in Loch Etive and River Awe after mass trout escape
Last year, more than 48,000 fish escaped from Mowi’s enclosure on uninhabited Hellisay.
Concerns have previously been raised over the impact of cross-breeding between farmed salmon and wild salmon, which could weaken the wild gene pool.
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