Concerns over the Future of Salmon Farming Industry in Scotland

The sustainability of the salmon farming industry in Scotland has come under scrutiny, with calls for urgent action to address regulatory and enforcement issues. A report released by Holyrood’s Rural Affairs & Islands Committee highlights the slow progress in implementing recommendations to ensure the industry’s long-term viability.

The report reflects the Committee’s review of the Scottish salmon farming sector and the status of recommendations made in 2018. It emphasizes the need for stronger leadership from the Scottish Government and requests a clear timeline for implementing both the 2018 recommendations and new ones within the next year.

The Committee urges the government to provide dedicated oversight and measurement mechanisms to drive progress effectively. It plans to review the industry’s advancements in a year and may issue further recommendations at that time.

Finlay Carson MSP, the Convener of the Rural Affairs & Islands Committee, emphasized the industry’s importance to the Scottish economy and rural communities. He stressed the necessity for the government and industry to collaborate in navigating regulatory challenges and adapting to environmental changes.

Key Recommendations

Fish Mortality

• Powers should be granted to limit or stop production at sites with high mortality rates.
• A research project should focus on improving environmental condition modeling to mitigate mortality events.
• Comprehensive and transparent mortality figures should be published regularly.

Impact on Marine Environment

• Further research is needed to address gaps in understanding salmon farming’s environmental risks.
• Establishment of dedicated research pens with industry collaboration.
• Consider expediting the introduction of revised environmental quality standards.

Farmed Fish Welfare

• Introduce additional regulations and guidance to ensure baseline welfare standards for farmed fish.
• Update on the ethical implications of using ‘cleaner fish’ for sea lice management.

Sea Lice

• Enforce stricter conditions for ‘no counts’ at salmon farms.

Data Transparency

• Improve accessibility and user-friendliness of aquaculture data on Scotland’s website.

Wild Salmon

• Implement recommendations of the Salmon Interactions Working Group report promptly.
• Establish a memorandum of understanding for coordinated management of farmed salmon impacts on wild salmon.

Planning

• Address concerns regarding the slow progress in planning and consenting processes.
• Ensure communities benefit from local salmon farms through stakeholder consultation.