UK salmon producer Loch Duart has withdrawn from the RSPCA Assured welfare accreditation, the Times reported.

The Sutherland, Scotland-based company -- the first salmon farm to earn this certification two decades ago -- now feels that it no longer aligns with their values. It has removed the branding from its products and website.

Known for its low-impact, small-scale farming approach, Loch Duart insists it remains committed to high welfare standards.

This move comes amid growing criticism of fish farming practices, including calls for a boycott by RSPCA president and TV personality Chris Packham, who described fish farms as "lice-infested, aquatic prisons."

Conservation charities have urged the RSPCA to reconsider its stance on farmed salmon.