The Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2013 has revealed that production of Scottish farmed salmon is at its highest level in a decade.
According to the report, 163,234 tonnes of farmed Atlantic salmon was produced in 2013, the highest recorded production since 2003.
The farmgate value of farmed salmon was £677 million last year, an increase of 26% compared to the previous year.
The Environment and Climate Change Minister Paul Wheelhouse said, “Scotland’s Aquaculture sector is now estimated to be worth £1.75 billion to the Scottish economy overall. If sustained, the sector, is well on its way to generating over £2 billion annually for the Scottish economy and supporting 10,000 jobs by 2020 many of which are in some of Scotland’s most remote and rural communities.
“This success is underpinned by a robust regulatory framework in Scotland that is appropriate and strikes the right balance between growing the aquaculture sector and protecting the marine environment, enhanced by the Aquaculture & Fisheries (Scotland) Act which commenced in September 2013.
“I look forward to engaging further with the sector and key stakeholders on the development of the sector through the Ministerial Group on Sustainable Aquaculture and to supporting their efforts to develop the sector sustainably.”
The Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2013 report can be viewed here.
