Scotland’s salmon-farming industry has overcome a lot of challenges over the past few years, but more work is needed to ensure it remains sustainable and prioritizes animal health and welfare into the future, according to Scotland Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform, and Islands Mairi Gougeon.
Addressing a Rural Affairs and Islands Committee of the Scottish Parliament, which is conducting an inquiry into the industry, Gougeon emphasized that the sector recognizes the need for sustainable operations.
“We know that the sector can only be a truly sustainable success story if economic growth goes hand in hand with positive outcomes for Scotland's communities and Scotland's natural environment,” she said. “Aquaculture is an important component of Scotland's blue economy, with farmed salmon being the U.K.'s leading food export.”
Gougeon’s presentation on 13 November concluded the evidence-gathering stage of the committee’s inquiry, which is analyzing whether the nation’s salmon-farming industry has made any progress on its sustainability since 2019 when the Rural Economy & Connectivity Committee (RECC) said that urgent action was needed to address fish health and environmental challenges in the sector.
“I am pleased with the significant progress that we have made on our aquaculture commitments since the RECC report in 2019, [achieved] despite the emergency response demands that have resulted from the management of Covid-19 and the exit from the E.U.,” Gougeon said. “Now, we have a broad agenda on which we are generating momentum, and we are prioritizing action across key areas such as protection of the environment and biodiversity, consenting community benefit, business, and animal health and welfare.”
Such progress, she said, is best exemplified through …
