Salmon farmers in Scotland harvested 205,393 metric tons (MT) of fish in 2021, a new record, representing a 7 percent increase on the previous year, according to a new report from the Scottish Government.
Marine Scotland Science’s “Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2021" found that, in addition to producing 13,264 MT more Atlantic salmon in 2021 than the prior year, the total number of smolts produced increased 1 percent to 51.2 million, and the tonnage of rainbow trout produced increased by 8 percent to 8,156 MT. However, brown and sea trout production decreased by 1 MT to 23 MT in 2021.
The annual review also confirmed that the total number of staff employed in marine salmon production decreased by 135 to 1,495 people during 2021.
Ten companies were authorized and actively producing Atlantic salmon in 2021, while two companies remained active and authorized but did not produce any salmon. These 12 companies had 213 registered active sites, but not all of these sites produced fish for harvest in 2021.
Of the 212 active Atlantic salmon sea-water cage sites in 2021, 12 were certified as organic, producing 18,285 MT.
There was one escape incident involving the loss of 19,686 fish from seawater Atlantic salmon sites in 2021. There were 14 additional incidents involving problems with equipment that did not result in the loss of fish.
Scotland’s estimated Atlantic salmon harvest forecast for 2022 is 189,693 MT.
“Farm-raised Scottish salmon is a global success story that Scotland can take pride in. We put the best-tasting and healthiest protein product on people’s plates and deliver the highest environmental and welfare standards," Salmon Scotland Chief Executive Tavish Scott said. “Our sector supports more than 2,500 direct and 10,000 indirect jobs, most of which are in some of the country’s most fragile coastal communities, generating hundreds of millions of pounds for our economy. All this has been achieved despite the challenges of COVID and Brexit. With the right government support – streamlined regulation, a more business-friendly approach to immigration, and action to tackle rural housing shortages – we can deliver further sustainable growth.”
Separate figures show that Scotland’s salmon farming sector delivered GBP 760 million (USD 876.1 million, EUR 883.2 million) for the Scottish economy.
Photo courtesy of the Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organization
