Langoustine producers in Scotland have come together to establish the Scottish Quality Langoustine (SQL) Scheme, a membership-based standard designed to drive improvements in the consistency and quality of their products.
“The launch of the Scottish Quality Langoustine scheme reinforces Scotland’s position as a global leader in premium seafood,” Seafood Scotland Chair Kevin McDonell said in a statement. “This isn’t about reinventing the wheel; it’s about highlighting and protecting the quality we know exists in our langoustine sector."
Officially launched at Seafood Scotland’s pavilion at Seafood Expo Global, which took place from 6 to 8 May in Barcelona, Spain, the new scheme will set standards for the industry, consolidating best practices for handling, processing, and tracking the shellfish.
“It has been four years since we started this journey,” Roy Cunningham, who sits on the board of Scottish Seafood Association and helped lead development of the scheme, said at the launch event. “Back in 2020 […] the langoustine industry, supported by the Scottish government, united with a common goal, and that was to enhance the values throughout the supply chain and elevate customer satisfaction across our global markets. This collective motivation stemmed from a desire to foster equitable development within the sector, ensuring sustained demand, consistency, and continual improvement of practices.”
Cunningham said most of the standards being adopted by the scheme at launch are long-standing practices in the sector.
“They’re not new,” Cunningham said. “But now as an industry, we have combined the best practices, committed to continuous improvement to meet market needs, and welcomed – of all things – third party verification.”
Quality assurance was a pivotal factor for customers, noted Cunningham, who led the quality working stream – one of several industry-led working streams that helped develop the SQL Scheme.
"What makes this scheme particularly powerful is that it’s been created by the industry, consulting with fishers,” McDonell said. “That level of collaboration and ownership has been crucial in building trust, ensuring practical implementation and, ultimately, delivering a scheme that people believe in. It’s a proactive move that demonstrates to our international buyers – particularly in Europe – that Scotland is serious about consistency, quality, and long-term resilience."
The scheme has six sections: food standards, food safety, quality, traceability, sustainability, and training.
Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon, who attended the event, praised the scheme as a tool to help grow the sector.
“I welcome the launch of the Scottish Quality Langoustine label,” Gougeon said. “This standard will be the first of its kind in this sector and it will help ensure that Scotland retains its rightful reputation for the highest quality langoustines - maintaining this provenance will be key both at home and as we look to secure new markets for Scottish langoustine.”
