Fish farmers set to provide massive boost for economy
Study finds aquaculture sector has potential to double output
AQUACULTURE firms such as fish farmers could boost their total annual contribution to Scotland’s economy by around £2 billion over the next 14 years and create about 10,000 jobs in the process, an industry report has found.
Research for the 2030 Aquaculture Strategy found the sector has the potential to double the total value of its output to £3.6bn annually over the period, from £1.8bn.
The authors said rapid global population growth combined with limited increases in wild catch volumes will mean farmed fish and shellfish have a vital role to play in maintaining food security.
Scotland is one of the few countries with the right climatic conditions for salmon farming.
The study concluded that growth in sales of Scottish products ranging from seaweed to farmed salmon could result in the number of jobs supported by the aquaculture sector increasing to 18,000 over the next 15 years, from around 8,800.
This could help the sector play an increasingly important role in sustaining the economic and social fabric of rural areas such as the Highlands and Islands, where fish farms are concentrated.
The strategy states: “It is clear aquaculture has a critical role to play in protecting and strengthening Scotland’s rural communities and economy, both now and in the decades to come.”
The strategy is being launched today by a group of organisations and businesses connected with aquaculture. They describe it as the first growth plan designed to unleash the full potential of the sector.
The group includes Scotland Food & Drink. The chief executive of the industry body, James Withers, said trends in global consumption had created an opportunity that the industry could not afford to miss.
He noted: “Demand for quality sustainable food is rising globally. We either grasp that opportunity in Scotland and drive growth of the sector here, or we sit back and let other countries respond to that potential,”
Mr Withers said the Brexit vote for the UK to leave the European Union could present some opportunities and some challenges with individual markets and labour flows. However, he added: “With a long term plan to develop Scotland’s position as a world leader in aquaculture, Brexit isn’t a game changer either way.”
The group, which includes Wester Ross Salmon, concluded annual production of farmed salmon could double to 350,000 tonnes by 2030. Growth in fish production could create benefits across the supply chain.
However, the industry faces big challenges.
The group said the global market share of Scottish salmon had fallen from around 10 per cent in 2005 to less than seven per cent, as other nations boosted productivity. It noted the importance of biological challenges, such as sea lice.
In August the Scottish Salmon Company, which operates 60 sites across the Hebrides and west coast of Scotland, said biological challenges remain an industry wide issue.
Other blockers to sustainable growth include workforce issues, access to finance and the limitations of Scotland’s rural infrastructure.
The group’s recommendations include three it said were critical to the sustainable growth of the industry.
It wants a new leadership group created to drive alignment between industry and government.
The group says the official Marine Scotland agency should focus on regulatory matters and leave industry development work to others. Innovation sites should be established to trial advanced technology and strategies.
Rural Affairs Secretary Fergus Ewing said the report highlighted the significant potential in the sector.
He plans to establish an industry leadership group. equipment, fish health