Europe vital market for Scottish salmon

The case for Scotland staying in the European Union is unanswerable, the leader of a major home produce exporting firm declared.

Craig Anderson, managing director of the Scottish Salmon Company, said: “We are a European company.

“We sell in Europe and we sell around the world.

“I see the advantages of trading with Europe – and they are very positive.

“We do business in most European countries and get 50% of our revenue from abroad.

“The export market receives 43% of the farmed fish we produce and we are aiming to increase that to 50%.”

He continued: “Our biggest export country is France where we take pride in being able to deliver fresh fish in 24 hours.

“The business case for us staying in Europe is unanswerable and that is very much where we see our future.”

The 52-year-old returned to Scotland after 20 years in Russia and its neighbouring former Soviet states.

Captivated by the charm and potential of salmon farming off the west coast, he fell in love with the company as a key player in an industry worth more than £500 million annually to the Scottish economy.

Scottish Salmon has almost 30 marine and fresh water sites and employs 480 people in some of Scotland’s most remote locations.

It now produces 30,000 tonnes of fresh fish a year – 30% more than when Mr Anderson joined two years ago.

“We are proud to be producing Scottish salmon and are proud to be exporting our fantastic product now to 24 countries. When I started it was 16,” he said.

“We work with local and national government and its bodies along with trade organisations to produce our salmon in the best possible way.”

One of his key aims is for the Scottish salmon his company produces to have the same reputation abroad as Scotch whisky.

Craig Anderson and his company’s site at Loch Portree.