Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2023
This report is based on the returns of an annual survey questionnaire sent to all active authorised fish farming businesses in Scotland during 2023. Statistics on employment, production and value are presented.
Executive Summary
These tables below summarise the results from the 2023 fish farm production survey (slight difference in these summary figures from figures in the main report are due to rounding).
| Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) | Units | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total production | (tonnes) | 8,757 | 9,258 |
| Production for the table | (tonnes) | 8,184 | 8,793 |
| Production for restocking | (tonnes) | 573 | 465 |
| Number of staff employed | 138 | 136 | |
| Mean productivity | (tonnes/person) | 63.5 | 68.1 |
| Number of ova laid down to hatch | (millions) | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Number of ova imported | (millions) | 2.6 | 2.2 |
In 2023, the production of rainbow trout increased by 501 tonnes, this is the highest level of rainbow trout production recorded in Scotland. Employment deceased by two staff and mean productivity increased to 68.1 tonnes per person. The number of ova laid down to hatch remained at 4.2 million and the number of ova imported decreased by 0.4 million.
| Ova and smolts | Units | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of ova produced | (millions) | 53.2 | 56.0 |
| Number of ova laid down to hatch | (millions) | 78.5 | 74.7 |
| Number of ova exported | (millions) | 0 | 0 |
| Number of ova imported | (millions) | 43.9 | 40.6 |
| Number of smolts produced | (millions) | 55.1 | 51.5 |
| Number of smolts put to sea | (millions) | 55.3 | 48.8 |
| Number of staff employed | 295 | 305 | |
| Mean productivity | (000’s smolts/person) | 186.6 | 168.9 |
The production of ova increased by 2.8 million in 2023 and the number of ova laid down to hatch decreased by 3.8 million. No ova were exported in 2023 and the number of ova imported decreased by 3.3 million from the 2022 figure. The number of smolts produced decreased by 3.6 million. In 2023 the number of staff employed increased by 10 and the mean productivity decreased by 17,700 smolts per person.
| Production fish | Units | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total production | (tonnes) | 169,194 | 150,949 |
| Production of 0-year fish | (tonnes) | 135 | 90 |
| Production of grilse | (tonnes) | 65,163 | 64,854 |
| Production of pre-salmon | (tonnes) | 52,738 | 31,073 |
| Production of year 2 salmon | (tonnes) | 51,158 | 54,932 |
| Mean fish weight 0-year | (kg) | 1.7 | 3.0 |
| Mean fish weight grilse | (kg) | 4.4 | 4.7 |
| Mean fish weight pre-salmon | (kg) | 4.8 | 4.5 |
| Mean fish weight year 2 salmon | (kg) | 5.2 | 5.9 |
| Number of staff employed | 1,508 | 1,418 | |
| Mean productivity | (tonnes/person) | 112.2 | 102.0 |
Production tonnage decreased by 18,245 tonnes with an increase in the mean harvest weight of year 0, grilse and year 2 salmon but a decrease in the mean harvest weight of pre-salmon. Staff numbers decreased by 28 and mean productivity decreased to 102.0 tonnes per person.
| Survival (%) | Year 0 + 1 | Year 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 input year class | 57.2 | 18.7 | 75.9 |
| 2021 input year class | 50.4 | 18.3 | 68.7 |
The smolt survival rate for the 2021 input year class decreased to 68.7%. Mortality is included in the number of fish not harvested for human consumption, which also consists of fish which have escaped, been culled for production reasons, removed for sampling purposes, statutory culls or selected for broodstock production.
Other Species
Including brown/sea trout (Salmo trutta); halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossis); lumpsucker (Cyclopterus lumpus) and several species of wrasse (Labridae).
| Other Species | Units | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total production | (tonnes) | 46 | 24 |
| Number of staff employed | (full-time) | 28 | 26 |
| (part-time) | 14 | 11 | |
| Number of ova laid down to hatch | (millions) | 3.5 | 6.9 |
| Number of ova imported | (millions) | 0.9 | 0 |
Some figures are excluded from this report as providing them would reveal production information from an individual company.
Production for 2022 and 2023 excluded any halibut production.
Number if ova laid down to hatch in 2022 and 2023 excluded any halibut ova laid down to hatch.
In 2023, the production of other species decreased by 22 tonnes from the 2022 total, although this figure does not include halibut production. Overall, employment decreased by five in 2023. There was an increase in the number of ova laid down to hatch during 2023 and halibut ova laid down to hatch in 2023 were not included in the 2023 figure.
| Species | Number of reported incidents which could have led to an escape of farmed fish | Number of reported incidents which did lead to an escape of farmed fish | Number of fish escaped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Atlantic salmon (freshwater stages) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Atlantic salmon (seawater stages) | 13 | 2 | 80,001 |
Contact
Email: MD.Productionsurvey@gov.scot
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