Scottish fish farm production survey 2018
This report is based on the returns of an annual survey questionnaire sent to all active authorised fish farming businesses in Scotland.
Executive Summary
The tables below summarise the results from the 2018 fish farms annual production survey.
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss
| 2017 | 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total production | (tonnes) | 7,637 | 6,413 |
| Production for the table | (tonnes) | 6,997 | 5,874 |
| Production for restocking | (tonnes) | 640 | 539 |
| Number of staff employed | 132 | 136 | |
| Mean productivity | (tonnes/person) | 57.9 | 47.2 |
| Number of ova laid down to hatch | (millions) | 7.0 | 6.3 |
| Number of ova imported | (millions) | 6.5 | 5.8 |
In 2018, the production of rainbow trout decreased by 1,224 tonnes. Employment increased by four staff and mean productivity decreased to 47.2 tonnes per person. The number of ova laid down to hatch decreased by 0.7 million and the number of ova imported decreased by 0.7 million.
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
Smolts
| 2017 | 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of ova produced | (millions) | 12.6 | 15.2 |
| Number of ova laid down to hatch | (millions) | 65.7 | 70.5 |
| Number of ova exported | (millions) | 0.3 | 0.02 |
| Number of ova imported | (millions) | 57.9 | 65.8 |
| Number of smolts produced | (millions) | 46.2 | 47.1 |
| Number of smolts put to sea | (millions) | 46.1 | 45.4 |
| Number of staff employed | 291 | 278 | |
| Mean productivity (000’s smolts/person) | 158.6 | 169.4 | |
The production of ova increased by 2.6 million in 2018 and the number of ova laid down to hatch increased by 4.8 million. A very small amount of ova were exported in 2018 (0.02 million) and the number of ova imported increased by 7.9 million from the 2017 figure. The number of smolts produced increased by 0.9 million. In 2018 the number of staff decreased by 13 and mean productivity increased by 10,800 smolts per person.
Production fish
| 2017 | 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total production | (tonnes) | 189,707 | 156,025 |
| Production of 0-year fish | (tonnes) | 0 | 247 |
| Production of grilse | (tonnes) | 68,116 | 53,244 |
| Production of pre-salmon | (tonnes) | 58,329 | 57,310 |
| Production of salmon | (tonnes) | 63,262 | 45,224 |
| Mean fish weight 0-year | (kg) | - | 2.9 |
| Mean fish weight grilse | (kg) | 5.0 | 4.9 |
| Mean fish weight pre-salmon | (kg) | 4.8 | 5.2 |
| Mean fish weight salmon | (kg) | 5.7 | 6.3 |
| Number of staff employed | 1,389 | 1,466 | |
| Mean productivity | tonnes/person | 136.6 | 106.4 |
Production tonnage decreased by 33,682 tonnes with an increase in the mean harvest weight of pre-salmon and salmon but a decrease in the mean weight of grilse. Staff numbers increased by 77 and mean productivity decreased to 106.4 tonnes per person.
Smolt survival (percentage harvested)
| Survival (%) | Years 0+1 | Year 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 input year class | 54.7 | 24.4 | 79.1 |
| 2016 input year class | 59.9 | 16.7 | 76.6 |
The smolt survival rate for the 2016 input year class decreased to 76.6%.
Other Species
Including brown/sea trout (Salmo trutta); halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus); lumpsucker(Cyclopterus lumpus) and several species of wrasse (Labridae).
| 2017 | 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total production | (tonnes) | 91a | 40a |
| Number of staff employed | (full-time) | 45 | 45 |
| (part-time) | 17 | 15 | |
| Number of ova laid down to hatch | (millions) | 4.7b | 38.9b |
| Number of ova imported | (millions) | 1.2 | 1.5 |
Some figures are excluded from this report as providing them would reveal production information from an individual company.
a Excluding halibut production.
b Excluding halibut ova laid down to hatch.
In 2018, the production of other species decreased by 51 tonnes from the 2017 total, although this figure does not include halibut production. Overall, employment decreased by two in 2018. There was an increase in the number of ova laid down to hatch during 2018 and again any halibut ova laid down to hatch were excluded from this figure.
Number of Confirmed Escape Incidents from Fish Farms Notified to the Scottish Government
| 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 | 0 | 2 | 5,575 |
| Atlantic salmon (freshwater stages) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Atlantic salmon (seawater stages) | 8 | 5 | 47,726 |
| Other Species (from sites rearing seawater Atlantic salmon) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Contact
Email: Lorna.Munro@gov.scot
There is a problem
Thanks for your feedback