Scottish salmon survival hits record high after £1bn tech drive
Survival rates of farmed salmon in Scotland have hit record highs, driven by more than £1 billion of investment in technology and fish health.
Latest figures show monthly survival averaged 99.12 per cent between January and June – the best start to a year since records began in 2018.
The sector has channelled major funding into veterinary care, state-of-the-art freshwater treatment vessels, staff training, research, and advanced monitoring systems.
Farmers have also focused on reducing the time salmon spend at sea, helping them better manage challenges such as jellyfish blooms and warmer water.
The start to 2025 follows improvements seen last year, when the total number of fish deaths across farms fell by more than a third. Overall survival in 2024 was 82.3 per cent, compared with 72.3 per cent the previous year.
Improved survival rates are also boosting the economic impact of Scottish salmon, which remains the UK’s largest food export.
Exports rose by 45 per cent to a record £844 million last year – equivalent to £2.31 million a day – while domestic sales grew 9.1 per cent to more than £1.2 billion in the year to June 2024.
Tavish Scott, chief executive of trade Salmon Scotland, said: “Scottish salmon farmers uphold the highest animal welfare standards in the world, but they are always striving to do better.
“The hard work of our farmers, supported by more than a billion pounds of investment in new technology, has been rewarded with survival rates at record highs.
“At the same time, demand for Scottish salmon is soaring at home and overseas. This is thanks to its reputation for quality and sustainability, and the vital role it plays in supporting coastal communities and the wider economy.”
It comes as producers prepare to tap into the lucrative Indian market following a recently signed trade deal that will slash tariffs on exports to the subcontinent.
Scottish salmon currently faces a 33 per cent tariff, which severely limits trade, but this is set to be removed next year when the UK Government’s deal takes effect.
The sector also anticipates further growth following the UK-EU agreement, which it hopes will reduce delays and red tape that have cost salmon exporters an estimated £3 million a year since Brexit.
However, concerns remain over the uncertainty surrounding US trade policy under President Donald Trump. US tariffs are pushing rival producers to focus more on European markets, risking the UK’s leading food export losing ground in its biggest overseas market.
Salmon Scotland is calling for renewed talks to remove the 10 per cent tariff on exports to the US.