Salmon Scotland challenges regulatory double standards in response to rural affairs report
Salmon Scotland has hit back at the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee (RAIC), accusing policymakers of applying double standards to the farmed salmon sector compared to other forms of food production.
In a letter to committee convener Finlay Carson MSP, Tavish Scott, CEO of Salmon Scotland, criticized the committee’s failure to acknowledge significant improvements in salmon survival rates while continuing to impose stricter regulatory oversight on the sector.
Scott highlighted what he described as a stark contrast in how different agricultural sectors are treated when facing disease outbreaks.
“You will also be aware that the UK is currently experiencing an increase in cases of avian flu, and as a result, millions of farmed chickens and turkeys have been culled,” he wrote. “Furthermore, farmers and national authorities remain on high alert due to a significant outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Germany. These situations, rightly, trigger widespread calls for governmental support and funding.”
No support for health challenges
However, he pointed out that no such calls for support were forthcoming when salmon farmers faced stock health challenges. “Far from receiving calls for government and regulatory support, our sector endures continual criticism and a ratchetting of regulatory controls,” Scott said. He argued that salmon farmers, like all food producers, must contend with external environmental factors beyond their control but are unfairly singled out for scrutiny.
The intervention from Salmon Scotland follows the publication of the RAIC’s report on the Scottish salmon industry, which, according to Scott, failed to reflect the sector’s significant progress in improving fish survival rates. Figures released by Salmon Scotland show that survival on marine farms improved to 82.3% in 2024, up from 72.3% in 2023—a 36% reduction in mortality.
“This improvement is testament to the hard work of Scotland’s 2,500 salmon farmers, who work tirelessly in some of Scotland’s most isolated, coastal and island communities, as well as the 10,000 people supporting our farmers through the supply chain,” Scott said. He also noted that since 2018, salmon farming businesses have invested nearly £1 billion in measures to improve fish health and welfare.
Despite these efforts, Scott expressed frustration that the committee’s report continued to focus disproportionately on salmon farming’s challenges without acknowledging progress. “The Committee was made aware of ongoing improvements in fish survival prior to concluding its work. It is unfortunate that these facts were not reflected in the final report and its recommendations. Given these updated figures, the RAIC report published last month is already out of date,” he wrote.
Biology
A key concern for Salmon Scotland is the way the sector is compared to other forms of livestock farming. Scott dismissed such comparisons as misleading, given the fundamental biological differences between fish and land animals. “Salmon produce many thousands of eggs which are fertilised outside the fish’s body and hatch as poorly developed fry. This strategy is based on fish having an expected high level of mortality, but it ensures a small number survive to become adults and reproduce,” he explained. “Land animals, like sheep and cattle, produce just one or two offspring a year. Their young are fully developed and expected to have a high natural survival.”
Salmon Scotland also took issue with what it sees as a regulatory imbalance. Scott pointed to the outbreak of avian flu, which has led to widespread culling of poultry flocks, and the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Germany. “These situations, rightly, trigger widespread calls for governmental support and funding,” he said. “Yet, no such calls can be heard from politicians or parliamentary committees when salmon farmers experience challenges to the health of their stocks.”
Support, not regulation, is the answer
Instead, he argued, the response to difficulties in salmon farming has been to introduce more layers of regulation, rather than support. “Rather than providing a focused suite of proactive recommendations that will help streamline regulatory oversight to support our sustainable development into the future, RAIC has produced an extensive set of recommendations, many of which will add further regulatory complexity and burden on salmon farmers,” he wrote. “Such an approach will hinder one of Scotland and the UK’s leading food production sectors.”
Scott called on policymakers to ensure that salmon farming is treated fairly, with recognition of its contribution to Scotland’s economy and food security. “All farmers, whether on land or at sea, work to produce nutritious, healthy and sustainable food for consumers. From time to time, we all experience challenges that are beyond our control. Elected representatives need to recognize all modes of food production in a fair and balanced manner.”
Salmon Scotland is reviewing the RAIC’s recommendations and will respond formally in due course. However, Scott’s intervention signals growing frustration from the industry over what it sees as disproportionate scrutiny, despite efforts to improve sustainability and fish health. The industry, he said, is committed to further progress, but it requires a regulatory framework that acknowledges both its successes and the challenges it faces.
