Seafood Scotland, the national trade and marketing body for Scottish seafood, has strengthened its cultural ties with Japan, ahead of a delegation heading to Japan’s international seafood expo later this month.
Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh, Tadashi Fujiwara, formally opened Seafood Scotland’s new office at Ingliston, west of Edinburgh. Platters of sushi created from Scottish seafood were served during discussions on the soaring popularity of Scottish mackerel amid hopes it will act as a driver to accelerate export opportunities across a range of Scottish species.
The Seafood Scotland team is putting the finishing touches to plans to co-host a delegation of eight Scottish seafood companies at the Japan International Seafood & Technology Expo, which takes place in Tokyo from 21-23 August 2024.
The Japanese market has become an increasingly important target for Scottish seafood exports, with sales of Scottish mackerel increasing rapidly. Exports have grown exponentially since 2019, with volume sales rising from around 1.5 million kg to more than 15 million kgs in that timeframe. This has led to Scotland accounting for almost 20% of the total market share of mackerel in Japan.
Adam Wing, head of trade marketing for the UK Middle East and Asia, believes there is a real opportunity to build on that.
“The growth in mackerel sales is a testament to the quality of species in Scotland’s waters and reinforces Japan’s desire to import the very best quality products – something that Scotland has in abundance.
“We have proven, trusted relationships with Japanese seafood importers and buyers all of whom understand and appreciate the premium quality and provenance of Scottish seafood. By working in partnership with the UK government and Seafish at the Expo we are aiming to showcase the very best of what Scotland has to offer,” he said.
The companies attending the expo include Ace Aquatec, Associated Seafoods, Denholm Seafoods, Hebridean Smokehouse, Lunar Freezing, Macduff, Scottish Fishermen’s Organisation, and Wester Ross Farming. Scottish mackerel, salmon, lobster, langoustines and crab will also feature at the show.
