Scottish salmon farms producing £½bn of fish every year

Scottish salmon farming industry production has leapt to a new seven-year high, official figures showed today.

Statistics published in the latest Scottish Fish Farm Survey revealed that last year 158,018 tonnes of farmed salmon was produced, more than in any year since 2004. That equates to more than 430 tonnes every day.

The latest rise boosted the value of Scottish farmed salmon to £584.7 million last year, equating to a year-on-year increase of 5.6 per cent.

Industry leaders predict that 2012 production will rise further to 158,026 tonnes, based on current stocks in Scottish waters.

The survey also revealed that the total number of staff employed at salmon farms dropped from 1,161 to 1,013 in the same seven-year period.

However, separate industry figures put the total number of jobs at more than 2,000, including workers in marketing and processing, with 272 new jobs created during 2011.

Scotland’s newly appointed environment minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “Salmon is our largest food export and I welcome the continued growth in production and value in 2011.

“Fish farming is a key food sector for Scotland, providing an important contribution to the economy – particularly in remote and rural communities in the west coast and Northern Isles.

“The industry employs almost 1,500 people, while many more jobs are underpinned by aquaculture indirectly.”

Scott Landsburgh, chief executive of industry body, the Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation (SSPO), said: “The year-on-year increase in both the value and production of Scottish farmed salmon is great news for the remote rural communities in the Highlands and Islands, the Scottish economy as a whole and the many suppliers to the sector whose businesses are benefitting from the salmon industry’s success.”