THE value of Atlantic Salmon to the Scottish economy has surpassed £1 billion for the first time, amid a surge in production and record export sales.
The annual Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey shows that production was at an all time high of 189,707 tonnes in 2017, up 37% from the previous year.
Brown trout production also increased year-on-year by 49%, from 41 tonnes to 61 tonnes.
Read more: Shocking images of parasite infested salmon sparks row over fish farming
However, Fisheries Minister Fergus Ewing warned that continuing success was threatened by Brexit plans.
He said: “The fish farm industry forms an integral part of Scotland’s rural economy – creating jobs and providing capital in some of our most rural communities. So it’s very encouraging to see salmon production value on the increase yet again.
“Demand for Scottish seafood has also increased domestically in recent years and, through measures such as the establishment Aquaculture Industry Leadership Group, we are putting in place the conditions for a sustainable industry that can meet future projected market demands.
“This includes the publication of Scotland’s 10 Year Farmed Fish Health Framework which will ensure that fish health remains at the heart of sustainable production.
“However, this huge Scottish success story is directly threatened by the UK Government’s Brexit plans, which would remove Scotland from the world’s biggest single market, which is around eight times the size of the UK market alone.
“That poses a major threat to the continued growth and success of the Scottish aquaculture sector, risking jobs, investment and livelihoods, which is why we continue to press strongly for Scotland and the rest of the UK to remain in the European single market and customs union.”
Read more: Farmed salmon 'may contain chemical linked with development problems in children'
The official statistical bulletin, by Marine Scotland Science, also reports that the level of survival on salmon farms has improved to 79.1%, compared to 73.3% in 2016.
It comes after fishing campaigners warned last month that salmon farm parasites are having “devastating consequences” on Scotland’s wild salmon, and called for legislation to be introduced to protect the species. Shocking images from Loch Roag on the Isle of Lewis showed fish covered in hundreds of deadly sea lice.
Read more: 10 million salmon thrown away by fish farm industry in 2016
Gilpin Bradley, chairman of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) said international demand for iconic Scottish product was exceeding supply.
He said: "Volumes were strong and exports reached an all-time high with sales of £600 million to more than 50 countries worldwide.
This is testament to the hard work and commitment of so many dedicated salmon farmers in the Highlands and Islands and the global recognition of Scottish salmon’s enviable premium market position.
“Demand for quality Scottish salmon continues to outstrip supply and the sector aspires to grow to meet demand, but we also recognise the importance of steady, sustainable development.
These new figures, alongside the investment in tackling emerging challenges give us great confidence in the sector’s ability for sustainable growth over the coming years.”
Salmon farmers have invested more than £60m in new technologies and improved farming techniques, research projects and cleaner fish to remove naturally occurring sea lice which thrive in the warmer temperatures.
In addition, wider investments in the sector’s supply chain include a £105m investment at Kyleakin, Skye where a 170,000 tonne fish feed facility and visitor centre is planned for build in 2019.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) recently reported that employment in the salmon farming industry and the wider supply chain topped 10,000 full time equivalent jobs.
Charlotte Wright, chief executive of HIE, said: “These figures are good news for Scottish aquaculture and show the significant social contributions the industry makes to remote rural, island and coastal areas by supporting high-skilled jobs, diversifying and protecting communities.
"Salmon farming is a major contributor to the Highlands and Islands economy and brings additional business opportunities to the area. We have supported the aquaculture industry since its inception and as a vital sector which provides many jobs for rural communities.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here