Scottish salmon faces risk in key US market amid new trade tariffs
International sales of Scottish salmon hit a record high of £844 million in 2024, soaring by 45 percent year-on-year to remain the UK’s top food export. But the sector’s exposure to the United States — its second-largest export market — places it at the centre of rising trade tensions.
HMRC data shows that exports to the US alone were worth £228 million last year, accounting for 27 percent of total international sales. France remains the leading destination with 55 percent.
The figures come just as the US administration announced a 10 percent tariff on UK seafood imports, raising concern that growth in the transatlantic market could be reversed.
Scottish salmon was exported to 48 countries in 2024, with major growth also recorded in Asia, where exports to China and Taiwan rose sharply.
Improvements in farm-level survival rates — reaching 82.3 percent in 2024, the highest in four years — helped increase available volumes for export. Salmon remains the UK’s most popular fish and its most valuable food export by both volume and value.
The sector supports around 2,500 direct jobs in coastal communities, with a wider supply chain contributing a further 10,000 jobs. Most exports leave the UK via Heathrow Airport, underlining the premium placed on freshness and speed to market.