The young salmon escaped from a farm at Strone Point at Loch Striven in Argyll, operated by Lighthouse Caledonia, reports News.Scotsman.
Experts have warned that escapes of farmed salmon carry a threat of spreading disease and of diluting the genetics of wild fish. The number – 58,800 – is more than the total amount of fish that escaped from Scottish farms last year.
The incident on 16 September was caused by a hole in a net found during a routine inspection.
OddGeir Oddsen, CEO of Lighthouse Caledonia, said: "The loss is regrettable particularly given the progress that has been made over recent months to contain, protect and develop our salmon farms.
"We operate strict regulatory procedures at Lighthouse Caledonia to do all we can to stop such incidents occurring. While we continue to invest in new equipment, all existing nets are checked and serviced on a regular fortnightly basis.
"An investigation has been launched to ascertain how this escape happened. We informed all the relevant authorities and are liaising with wild fish representatives on a re-capture strategy.
Salmon Escape from Argyll Farm
SCOTLAND, UK - Up to 60,000 salmon have escaped from a fish farm in Argyll, raising fears about the spread of disease among wild fish.
