2020 saw growth halted for Scottish salmon sector

Production of farmed Atlantic salmon in Scotland was down 5.8% to 192,129 tonnes in 2020 – but this was still the second highest level recorded. Farmed brown and sea trout numbers were also down, but rainbow trout saw a small increase.

The figures come from the Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2020, published today by Marine Scotland Science. The annual survey also shows that there was a small decline in the number of staff employed in marine salmon production, which was down 1.27% to 1,630.

The total number of smolts produced in 2020 decreased by 0.9 million (2%) to 50.5 million.

Brown and sea trout production decreased from 25 tonnes in 2019 to 24 tonnes in 2020. Production tonnage of rainbow trout, however, increased by 2% to 7,576 tonnes.

The Production Survey details statistics on the employment and production from Scottish fish farms. It is structured to follow industry trends within the farmed Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout and other species sectors.

The survey also shows that the smolt survival rate for Atlantic salmon  for the 2018 input year class increased to 75.9% (2017: 73.8%).

Mortality is included in the number of fish not harvested for human consumption, including escapes. The report notes that approximately 1,600 rainbow trout and 205,000 Atlantic salmon were reported as escaped or likely to have escaped.

More details from the Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2020 will be available in the Fish Farmer Yearbook for 2022, out this December.