FISH DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH COMPASSION

Having watched the latest episode of Blue Planet II: Big Blue, Val Burns writes: “I’ll never think of fish the same way again” (Watching Blue Planet is like a psychic holiday, Comment, November 19). She feels sure presenter David Attenborough intends “to make us think more intelligently and empathetically about the creatures that live, work and play in our oceans”. This is, indeed, an excellent and fascinating series, but there is much more to learn about fish. Jonathan Balcombe’s recent book, What A Fish Knows: The Inner Lives Of Our Underwater Cousins, contains much evidence of just how much fish feel and the traits they share with humans.

Angela Haggerty writes that “with compassion and empathy ... it is possible to change minds and actions” (Monica Lewinsky is right – the way to tackle online cruelty is with kindness, Comment, November 19). We should surely apply that to not just people, but to all animals.

If we applied compassion and empathy to all those who deserve it – and there can be no doubt animals fall into that category, given they have done nothing to justify the cruelty and suffering that the human species subject them to – the planet would be a kinder, better and healthier place.

It’s time for people to seriously think about changing their lives for the better and consuming an animal-free, cruelty-free diet, and what better time to do so than the supposed season of peace, love and goodwill, when animal slaughter increases due to people’s fixation with eating turkey at Christmas.

Sandra Busell

Edinburgh

Dr Martin Jaffa suggests salmon farming suffers unfairly at the hands of a “small number of vocal critics” (Salmon farming unfairly attacked, Letters, November 19). There are numerous opponents to salmon farming. These include people who have worked in the industry, people working in marine tourism, angling bodies, many marine conservation organisations, groups concerned with farmed fish welfare and those opposed to the damage caused to marine wildlife. Mussel and oyster farmers and those who earn a living from catching wild shellfish and crustaceans are also worried over the use of chemicals which not only kill sea lice but kill the young of the creatures which provide their living.

Dr Jaffa says critics aren’t interested in alternative solutions such as cleaner fish and mechanical removal which the industry is developing to combat sea lice. I for one am very interested in the possible ecological damage and fish welfare problems associated with taking large numbers of wild wrasse from the south coast of England and transporting them to Scottish salmon farms. The many thousands of salmon killed in botched trials of mechanical lice removal equipment also greatly concerns me. There is a wide chorus of opposition to the excesses and failings of the salmon farming industry.

John F Robins, Save Our Seals Fund

HERE'S FOOD FOR ROYAL THOUGHT

“The Queen was in her counting house counting out her money” is from a liberally tweaked nursery rhyme which sums up the offensiveness and obscenity of one UK citizen sitting on an enormous pile of unearned riches (Time to abolish the Queen of the kleptocracy, Guest Comment, November 12). The use of the word “kleptocracy” says it all, given that “kleptomania” shares the self-same Latin root.

As usual when QE2 addresses the nation on Christmas Day she will have absolutely nothing to say to those millions of our children living in poverty. Perhaps, though, instead of spouting the usual drivel this year she could ’fess up to living in luxury and then pledge to give away to the nation all her jewels, palaces and land, along with the millions of pounds that are outwith HMRC’s reach?

Of course she and her hubby won’t starve (thanks to Universal Credit) and might even be able to get a council house tenancy – only the one bedroom of course! Alternatively Elizabeth Windsor could decide (yet again) to let our children shiver and dream in vain of receiving a present.

Korstiaan Allan

Edinburgh

OUR RIGHT TO KNOW WHO OWNS CLYDE

Congratulations to Susan Aitken, SNP leader of Glasgow City Council, in ordering an investigation into the ownership of the Clyde (Who really owns the River Clyde, News, November 12). At the SNP Conference in October, I highlighted the fact that the second cities of our near European neighbours, Aarhus, Bergen, Gothenburg, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Hamburg, were expanding their ports while Glasgow and the lower Clyde were also-rans.

With the exception of King George V Dock, Glasgow has largely given up on its port capability. Peel Ports have serious questions to ask about their stewardship of the Clyde. Housing is the easy, quick-buck option but it’s industry and commerce that put nourishment on the table, and with Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire among the most deprived areas in Scotland, the opportunity and obligation of ownership demands total commitment to port expansion, marine engineering and ship building.

There’s an easy way of identifying the owners of the Clyde and its banks if the Scottish Government follows through on its interest in annual ground rent (AGR). By introducing a system of self-declaration of ownership and AGR liability, Revenue Scotland will know who claims what and the contribution they’ll make to local government funds.

Graeme McCormick

Arden

WHAT ABOUT THE EU'S OBLIGATIONS?

The Brexit divorce settlement arguments roll on and Chancellor Philip Hammond said: “The Prime Minister is clear that we will meet our obligations to the European Union.” An important point seems to have escaped the British negotiating team. In any divorce settlement there are assets to split.

In 2015 Britain’s EU membership cost 11.5 billion euros; Germany paid 14.3 billion. Ten countries contributed miniscule amounts while the remaining 16 were subsidised.

Britain contributed heavily for 44 years, and thus paid significantly towards the EU’s assets. These include the property portfolio, space satellites, the European Parliament’s art collection and expensive wines and spirits.

The EU owns more than 300 properties. Taking the 44 years of payments made the EU are due more to the UK than the UK is due the EU.

Clark Cross

Linlithgow

MENTAL ILLNESS ISN'T FUNNY

GREAT to see Iain Macwhirter, with exemplary disdain for the current popular mood, or perhaps just with more fearless candour than others, still finds mental illness funny (Brexiteers: the mad uncle in the attic, Comment, November 19). I envy his resilience and independence of thought. However, I think I may have spotted a typo in his article.

When he wrote of “living with a delinquent relative who is too articulate to be sectioned but is clearly a threat to the stability of the household”, shouldn’t “the stability of the household” have read “Scottish independence”?

Archie Beaton

Inverness

YES, SOMEBODY IS OUT THERE: GOD

I write regarding the article titled

“Is there anybody out there?” (Is there anybody out there? Scientists step up the search for alien life, Science, November 19). The answer is, quite simply, “yes”. We are not alone.

There is God our heavenly Father and Creator, and His angels of which there are, at least, 12 legions.

You can check out that number in Saint Matthew’s Gospel chapter 26, verse 53.

Charlotte Hunter,

Ancrum