Farmed salmon industry facing crisis as figures fall to 8-year low
Farmed salmon production has plunged to a eight-year low, amid growing concerns over sea lice and disease.
Official figures show a massive drop in the number of farmreared Atlantic salmon since 2010 – to 156,025 tons last year.
Campaigners said this highlights the ‘welfare nightmare’ in fish farms across scotland.
But the scottish salmon Producers’ Organisation said the drop was due to a ‘one-off adjustment by farmers’ to combat a biological issue concerning gill problems.
In 2018, production fell by 33,682 tons to 156,025 tons. this was a 17.8 per cent drop from 2017, when 189,707 tons were produced.
last year’s figure was the lowest since 154,164 tons in 2010.
the scottish Government figures come only months after a Holyrood report called for the industry to be dramatically overhauled.
msPs narrowly rejected plans for a moratorium on new farms. But they called for tough new regulation which will see farms forced to report the prevalence of sea lice on a weekly basis, as well as powers to shut down production if rules are not enforced.
scottish salmon Watch director Don staniford said: ‘scottish salmon farming production in 2018 is less than 15 years ago. Far from being a success story, scottish salmon farming is a welfare nightmare and a disease disaster, with a mortality rate running at over 23 per cent – and over 33 per cent in the Western Isles. lice infestation, pathogens, viruses and infectious diseases are ravaging salmon farms across scotland.
‘Consumers should avoid scottish salmon – shamefully marketed as “healthy and sustainable” – like the proverbial plague.’
But the scottish salmon Producers’ Organisation insisted the 2018 figures were the result of a ‘one-off’ action taken by farmers and highlighted forecasts showing that production is expected to rise to 190,499 tons in 2019.
Chief executive Julie Heskethlaird said: ‘the anticipated dip in production in 2018 was the result of a one-off adjustment by farmers on stocking the year before to ensure control over some biological issues which had been witnessed in previous years. the result was that in 2018 there were fewer fish in the water to harvest.
‘the outlook for 2019 is good, with production predicted to be up because of adjusted stocking levels and good continued management of fish health.’
Fisheries secretary Fergus Ewing said: ‘Aquaculture is vital to our rural economy, generating more than £620million of added value to the scottish economy every year and supporting thousands of jobs.
‘It is essential that we support our aquaculture sector and its sustainable growth to ensure that economic opportunities are maximised, whilst ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare and environmental protection.’
Earlier this year, it was revealed that catches of wild salmon had dropped to their lowest ever level,
the rod fishing take was 37,196 in 2018, 67 per cent of the previous five-year average. the vast majority – 93 per cent – were released back into the water.
‘A welfare nightmare’