Farmed Atlantic salmon production in Scotland will recover from last year’s decline and reach a total harvest of 177,857 metric tons (MT) in 2016, according to the latest industry forecast published by the Scottish government.
According to the Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2015, total production in 2015 was 171,722 MT, a decrease of 4.1 percent or 7,300 MT on the 2014 harvest. It was, however, the second highest level of production recorded in Scotland.
Last year, marine production was undertaken by 16 businesses farming 254 active sites, representing a decrease of two businesses and six active sites compared with the previous year.
The total number of smolts produced in 2015 decreased by 1 percent or 433,000 to 44.6 million. The number of ova laid down to hatch decreased by 3.8 percent to 68.2 million with 90.2 percent of these being derived from foreign sources. In 2015, 95,000 ova were exported.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s rainbow trout production increased by 46 percent or 2,706 MT to 8,588 MT. This was the biggest ever harvest of the species recorded in Scotland and was due to increased marine production – 4,678 MT last year, compared to 1,909 MT in 2014.
The number of ova laid down to hatch increased by 9.8 percent or 1,081,000 to 12,121,000. The proportion of ova from U.K. broodstock increased to 7.4 percent of the total sourced.
The survey said there has been a continued interest in the diversification of aquaculture. In 2015, brown/sea trout production decreased by 6MT to 42 MT while halibut production decreased by 10 MT to 56 MT.
Production estimates forecast an increase in brown/sea trout to 58 MT and halibut to 90 MT in 2016.
In 2015, lumpsucker and various species of wrasse were cultured for use as a biological control for parasites in the Atlantic salmon industry, with 2.3 million and 8 million ova being laid down to hatch respectively.
