Scotland’s salmon farming sector is a “key anchor” for rural and coastal communities, according to an independent study prepared for industry body Salmon Scotland by infrastructure consultancy firm Aecom.
The analysis found the sector supported the economic and social fabric of remote and island communities, “particularly where alternative sources of year-round employment are limited”.
Despite criticism over the environmental sustainability of Scottish salmon, the findings revealed that salmon farming helped to sustain school rolls, teaching posts, shops and other businesses across the devolved nation. On the Hebridean island of Muck, the sector was even reported to directly employ 34% of the population.
Further, despite noting the international ownership of many salmon farms, it said people “emphasised the importance of continued local investment and employment for protecting community resilience going forward”.
The findings were compiled from interviews with community members and a survey of salmon farmers and organisations through Scotland’s salmon supply chain.
“Farm-raised salmon is the lifeblood of many of Scotland’s coastal, rural, and island communities, supporting thousands of well-paid jobs, and sustaining a supply chain in local areas and across the country,” said Salmon Scotland CEO Tavish Scott.
“Salmon farms enable people to live and work in the communities where they have grown up and help retain schools and families in areas plagued by depopulation.”
He added: “The hundreds of thousands of pounds of community benefit provided each year by salmon farmers make a real difference to the communities of which they are an integral part, from helping people get to hospital appointments to rebuilding roads and providing broadband.”
Jim Fairlie, Scottish government minister for agriculture, marine and the islands, said Scotland’s aquaculture sector was a “real success story”.
Salmon Scotland has been urging the UK and Scottish governments to reform planning regulations, with demand outpacing production.
A study by Biggar Economics, also on behalf of Salmon Scotland, found the sector supported around 2,460 direct jobs and GVA £231m, which Fairlie said “reinforces just how important it is that we continue to back this sector”.
The minister added: “It’s not just about economic growth; it’s about giving people in our rural and island communities the opportunity to build careers and futures where they live.”
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