Scotland’s salmon-farming sector has intensified its lobbying efforts ahead of the 7 May Scottish parliamentary election, calling on candidates to commit to cutting regulatory delays and backing industry growth.
In a joint letter coordinated by industry representative group Salmon Scotland and signed by 60 producers and other businesses along the supply chain, the sector warned that current bureaucratic red tape is undermining competitiveness and holding back investments.
The calls for regulatory streamlining have also coincided with industry representatives hosting site visits for candidates across the political spectrum in a bid to underline the sector’s economic and social contributions.
According to Salmon Scotland CEO Tavish Scott, the upcoming election represents a critical moment for the industry, in which candidates can show they understand the true value of the salmon-farming sector and the role it plays in supporting communities across the country.
Though Scotland has built a “world-class salmon sector” that supports thousands of jobs and brings significant investment into rural and coastal communities, Scott said that success cannot be taken for granted, insisting that reducing delays and improving regulatory clarity is essential if Scotland is to maintain its position in global markets and sustain growth in rural economies.
“Investment is international. Scotland can be at the cutting edge of regulatory reform, and that is what we look to the new Scottish government to implement,” Scott told SeafoodSource. “We have consistently asked for better regulation of fish farming in Scotland, not less regulation. We want better regulation because it helps consumers, buyers, and wider stakeholders scrutinize food production.”
The industry’s letter highlights that salmon farming generates close to GBP 1 billion (USD 1.3 billion, EUR 1.2 billion) annually for the Scottish economy and supports around 11,000 jobs, many of them in rural and coastal areas where alternative employment opportunities are limited.
In the Highlands alone, the sector accounts for GBP 307 million (USD 413.9 million, EUR 354.1 million) in economic output and 3,530 jobs, the letter emphasized.
Signatories argued that these benefits are at risk if longstanding concerns around planning and regulatory processes are not addressed.
“The current protracted consenting process places Scottish businesses at a significant disadvantage compared to other producing nations,” the letter said.
“The timescales involving four separate government and independent agencies leading to a planning determination are among the slowest in the salmon-farming world,” Scott added.
Scotland’s salmon industry is urging the next government to implement recommendations set out in a 2022 independent review led by Russel Griggs, with key proposals including the creation of a one-stop shop for aquaculture licensing and the introduction of a 10-year regulatory framework aimed at providing greater certainty for investors.
Producers contended in the letter that streamlining the system through such initiatives would unlock further private investment and support job creation.
At the same time, with new export opportunities opening up, including in markets such as India and South Korea, there is “a real opportunity” to grow further and strengthen salmon’s export position.
For example, Salmon Scotland said it believes the anticipated trade deal between the United Kingdom and India will remove the current 33 percent tariff on salmon exports and that this will see exports surge from the current level of just 70 metric tons (MT) a year – worth around GBP 500,000 (USD 674,076, EUR 576,742) – to more than 3,500 tons by 2030.
Elsewhere, the letter also calls for a more “joined-up” policy approach that balances environmental responsibility with economic development, arguing that a clearer and more efficient framework is key to securing the sector’s long-term future.
“Scottish salmon businesses devote considerable financial and human resources to meeting the requirements of regulatory approval,” Scott said. “That is fine. But in return, we ask for operational efficiency, a one-stop shop and timescales on planning determinations that are consistent with other international jurisdictions.”
Scottish salmon remains the United Kingdom’s top food export, with international sales reaching GBP 828 million (USD 1.1 billion, EUR 955.1 million) in 2025 and domestic sales valued at GBP 1.5 billion (USD 2 billion, EUR 1.7 billion). Meanwhile, close to GBP 200 million (USD 269.6 million, EUR 230.7 million) has been invested in the sector in areas such as fish health, welfare, and environmental performance since 2018.
