Salmon Scotland urges regulatory reform to boost growth.
Salmon Scotland’s CEO, Tavish Scott, has issued a clarion call for urgent regulatory reform, highlighting the sector’s potential to deliver substantial economic growth if outdated frameworks are addressed. Speaking in response to UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ push for pro-growth regulatory policies, Scott said:
“We support better regulation, not less, but regulators must also drive economic growth. Taxes fund public services, and growth makes that happen.”
Scott pointed to sluggish GDP growth in Scotland, which saw just a 0.1% rise in Q3 2024, lagging behind the wider UK economy, as evidence of the need for change. He emphasized the pressing need for the Scottish Government to mirror the Chancellor’s approach by overhauling the regulatory framework that is currently hampering the salmon farming sector.
“Salmon farming could deliver £1 billion to the UK economy in just a few years, benefiting local communities. But ministers must urgently reform the outdated regulatory framework holding back salmon farmers,” Scott said.
The chancellor’s meeting with regulators follows a letter sent in December asking them to develop pro-growth plans. Reeves’ push for regulatory reform comes amid forecasts of slow economic growth and concerns over rising public debt.
With salmon farming supporting 12,500 jobs and contributing £760 million to the Scottish economy, Scott underlined the sector’s pivotal role in addressing long-term challenges from Covid and Brexit.
