Meeting of the Parliament 20 March 2025 [Draft]
First, I am grateful to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee for its thorough exploration of the issues that salmon farming faces and for members’ consideration of the progress that has been made since the “Salmon farming in Scotland” report of December 2018. I do want to address a comment that the convener, Finlay Carson, has just made by saying that the Scottish Government does take the report’s recommendations very seriously and has given consideration to them.
Secondly, I am grateful for the opportunity that the debate brings to discuss those matters more broadly across Parliament, to outline the key work that we as a Government have delivered since that initial report and to discuss our response to the committee’s recommendations in more detail.
In 2023, I published the “Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture”, which sets out our ambitions for the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. The sector provides invaluable benefits for our nation, particularly the coastal and island communities where it operates. Our vision sets out how we see that sector developing, operating within environmental limits and supporting our local communities and economies.
Last year, Scottish salmon was once again the United Kingdom’s top food export, achieving a record high of £844 million-worth of exports. The sector contributes significantly to our economy, with around 2,300 people directly employed and many more employed throughout its supply chain, covering a variety of different disciplines such as fish health, engineering, feed, vessels and equipment manufacture.
Salmon production largely takes place in our Highlands, rural areas and islands, where it provides high-value, high-skill, long-term employment opportunities that contribute to the on-going vibrancy and vitality of those communities. The committee heard evidence on the wide range of community benefits that the sector brings, including the direct and indirect jobs that it generates and sustains, the provision of housing, financial and in-kind support to local projects and community interests, and the underpinning of populations.
As we work to tackle the climate crisis and grow Scotland’s economy, we are looking to enable the sector’s sustainable development. I know that the committee will share my view, set out in our vision, that economic benefit must not come at the expense of our environment. Our strong regulatory framework already provides the important safeguards that are necessary to preserve our environment now and into the future.
We know, however, and would agree, that there is always more to do. Our policies and regulations should always be informed by the best available science and evidence. I hope that members across the chamber agree that it is important that our interventions are evidence based and that they balance proportionate regulatory improvements to protect our natural environment against the impact that regulation could have on the sector’s economic potential.
I am sure that all members are aware that salmon farming is a sector that attracts many and varied stakeholder opinions.