Scotland's Marine Economic Statistics 2022

Marine economy key points

In 2022, the Scottish marine economy generated £4.9 billion in aGVA. This accounted for 3% of the total Scottish economy. The Scottish marine economy provided employment for 71,000 people. This was 2.7% of the total Scottish employment.

Support for oil and gas has the biggest marine economy turnover and aGVA. But, marine and coastal tourism employs the most people of all the sectors covered in this report. Support for oil and gas provide 44% of the marine economy aGVA. But, only 20% of the employment. Marine tourism provides 13% of the aGVA and 44% of the employment.

Labour productivity (aGVA per worker) varies across the marine economy. Freight water transport has the highest aGVA per worker in 2022 (around £255,000). Marine tourism has the lowest at around £20,000.

Economic information on oil and gas extraction is not included in this report. See Data and Methodology for more information.

Table 1. The support for oil and gas sector has the highest aGVA at £2.2 billion but marine tourism has the highest employment at 31,100 in 2022.

aGVA, turnover, employment and aGVA per head by marine sector, 2022

Marine economy trends

Between 2021 and 2022, the marine economy’s aGVA increased by 7% from £4.6 billion to £4.9 billion (2022 prices). Employment increased by 2%.

Employment decreased by 3% between 2013 and 2022, and the estimated full time equivalent (FTE) decreased by 5%. The larger FTE decrease is due to the different changes in employment by sector. Employment decreased in sectors, such as oil and gas services, which have more full-time employees. Whereas, employment increased in marine and coastal tourism, which has more part-time or seasonal work.

Table 2: Between 2013 and 2022 the marine economy aGVA fell by 14%. Employment decreased by 3% between 2013 and 2022.

Marine economy aGVA, turnover and employment, 2013 to 2022 (2022 prices)

aGVA increased for most marine sectors apart from aquaculture, ship building, freight water transport and fishing between 2021 and 2022 (Figure 1). However, the aGVA in 2022 for all marine sectors, apart from passenger water transport, was still lower than in 2019.

Figure 1. The aGVA for Aquaculture and freight water transport fell between 2021 and 2022. Support for oil and gas and marine tourism had the largest increases.

Change in aGVA by marine sector in millions of pounds, 2021 to 2022

Marine economy by geography

Marine economic information is available for most local authorities, subject to confidentiality considerations. Aberdeen City accounted for £2 billion (40%) of Scotland’s marine economy’s aGVA for 2022 (Table 3).

Marine aGVA contributes most to Aberdeen City, accounting for 18% of their total aGVA in 2022 (Figure 2). Shetland Islands are a close second, with marine sectors also contributing 16% of their aGVA. Marine aGVA and employment is particularly important to rural economies.

Figure 2. Marine aGVA contributed most to the total aGVA in Aberdeen City in 2022. It accounted for 18% of the total aGVA.

Percentage of aGVA accounted for by the marine sector for the top 10 local authorities, 2022