Farmed salmon produced in Scotland was worth GBP 760 million (USD 865.5 million, EUR 872.2 million) to the country’s economy last year, a new industry study has found.
Trade body Salmon Scotland’s latest report determined the sector’s economic contribution grew by almost 20 percent in 2021 when compared to pre-COVID 2019, with Scotland Salmon Chief Executive Tavish Scott stating that the figures confirm the product is the “backbone of some of Scotland’s most-isolated areas.” Scott said the blue economy will be key to helping communities through the U.K.’s current cost-of-living crisis.
Salmon Scotland’s economic impact report has been published amid calls for an overhaul of the regulatory and planning system for salmon farming in Scotland. Scott said streamlined reform can encourage further sustainable growth in rural communities, in turn creating more high-paid, high-skilled local jobs.
Having provided an additional GBP 100 million (USD 113.9 million, EUR 114.8 million) to the economy over the past two years, Scott said the Scottish salmon sector could generate as much as GBP 1 billion (USD 1.1 billion, EUR 1.1 billion) in additional growth for the country’s economy with the correct reforms.
“It is imperative that the Scottish government enables a framework that is both transparent and efficient and the U.K. government works to address the post-Brexit challenges at the border to ensure that Scottish salmon can turbocharge the country’s economy,” Scott said.
Salmon Scotland’s figures show a direct economic contribution of GBP 303 million (USD 345 million, EUR 347.7 million) in gross value added (GVA) in 2021, up nearly a fifth on pre-pandemic levels of GBP 254 million (USD 289.2 million, EUR 291.4 million) in 2019.
The sector also indirectly generated a further GBP 397 million (USD 452.1 million, EUR 455.5 million) in GVA through the supply chain. There was also a further GBP 66 million (USD 75.2 million, EUR 75.7 million) positive impact in employment costs – up 22.2 percent.
The report also breaks down the economic contribution the sector makes to Scotland’s five salmon-producing regions:
- GBP 224 million (USD 255.2 million, EUR 257.1 million) across the northwest Highlands;
- GBP 151 million (USD 172 million, EUR 173.3 million) in the Western Isles;
- GBP 150 million (USD 170.9 million, EUR 172.1 million) in Argyll and Bute;
- GBP 137 million (USD 156.1 million, EUR 157.2 million) in Shetland;
- GBP 75 million (USD 85.4 million, EUR 86.1 million) in Orkney.
Salmon farming directly employs more than 2,500 people in coastal communities in rural Scotland, with a further 10,000 jobs dependent on the sector, the report found.
Photo courtesy of richardjohnson/Shutterstock
