Scotland’s salmon sector is well positioned to capitalize on strong domestic and international demand, but regulatory barriers are increasingly constraining its ability to expand production, according to Salmon Scotland Chief Executive Tavish Scott.
Scott said a more streamlined regulatory system – rather than simply less regulation – was needed to allow the industry to respond to growing market opportunities while maintaining robust oversight.
“Better regulation will really help the industry,” he said. “Like all industries that produce food, we need really good regulation. It helps us enormously if regulations are credible, authoritative, and also efficient. And it doesn’t quite do all those things yet.”
With the production sector achieving very high survival numbers this year, including a record-breaking average monthly rate of 99.03 percent for the first-quarter, rising demand is the “most immediate challenge” for Scottish salmon, Scott said.
Demand has been “very strong” in the U.K. market this year, with retail and supermarket outlets purchasing the most products, while international markets have been “going like a train,” he said.
“Alongside the U.K., the United States, France and Europe, China and other key markets are all very strong at the moment. Indeed, the U.S. has bucked all the sector’s concerns about Trump’s tariffs; it’s remained really robust throughout the first two years of the presidency.”
Meanwhile, India’s shift from 30 percent to zero tariffs presents a major opportunity for Scotland’s producers, Scott said.
Confirming that many Scottish companies’ sales directors will soon be heading over to India as part of a delegation that will also include members of the U.K. and Scottish governments and metropolitan mayors, he stressed that production capacity must scale to meet this interest. This, in turn, requires addressing the sector’s red tape issues, Scott said.
“We need to build and develop the industry in the right way – allowing us to produce more in Scotland,” he said.
There are some positive signs coming out of government, including some recent conversations with Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform Ivan McKee.
With the Scottish politician essentially soliciting the market for ideas, Salmon Scotland relayed its better regulation stance.
“We’ve given them a very simple blueprint,” Scott said. “It contains a lot of details, but it’s essentially calling for a one-stop-shop whereby you make an aquaculture application: all the regulatory bodies have one application process; there’s one statutory timescale for consultations; and then someone is accountable for the decision-making process. In other words, someone makes the decision instead of it being batted around all the different agencies.”
The proposal isn’t intended to stop appeals and proper processes, including local government and appropriate planning procedures, but it would help make the new license process much more streamlined, and therefore much more effective, he explained, pointing out that even the “no” decisions can take years.
“For us, that would be a significant step forward. And I believe Scottish government are now looking at this very sensibly … Like all governments around Europe, they need business growth. We can do that. We can create more income for government – it’s a win-win,” Scott said. “The next year will be crucial if we can get some progress on better regulation.”
According to Salmon Scotland, yearly sales of salmon in the United Kingdom have risen to GBP 1.5 billion (USD 2 billion, EUR 1.7 billion), while international sales of Scottish salmon are now valued at more than GBP 800 million (USD 1.1 billion, EUR 931.1 million).
