A passion for smoking Smoked fish offers the biggest opportunity for growth believes Scot Trout, a co-operative of 14 leading trout farmers which produces 90% of Scotland's trout output. Managing director Muir Hunter says the cooperative has seen substantial growth over the last four years and now has 33% of the UK's trout market mainly in own label, and ready meal manufacture. "Our direction now is to develop smoked fish. About 10% of our trout is going into smoking, mainly hot smoked. We see this as a main growth area, particularly for quality branded products," says Hunter. The company has been working with royal warrant holder RR Spink & Sons, an Arbroath fish smoker, to produce a new Spink brand of hot smoked trout and salmon fillets. Rsp is £2.99 for the 125g vacuum packed trout, now listed by Tesco and Safeway. The salmon, flavoured with peppers and dill, comes in a 150g pack. A new vacuum pack range of sliced Scottish salmon fillet marinated in oils and sauces is being introduced by Daniel's Sweet Herring. Sauces include mustard & dill, orange & brandy, and sour cream & chives, while the olive oil based line includes lemon & herb, lime & cracked pepper, and chilli. Shelf life is 12 weeks for the 100g and 200g packs. Salar says its flaky smoked salmon fillets have received numerous industry accolades since the product's launch in 1997. Registered under the Scottish Quality Farmed Salmon scheme, the Salar fish farm in the Outer Hebrides produces 500 tonnes of fresh salmon a year and expects to increase output of its flaky smoked product by 50% over the next 12 months. The product has a 28 day chilled shelf life. {{Z SUPPLEMENTS }}