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THE IMPORTANCE OF AQUACULTURE
Aquaculture is a very important industry for rural Scotland, in particular for the west coast and the islands where many communities depend on the employment and revenue it provides. Scotland is the second-biggest producer of farmed Atlantic salmon in Europe, producing about 135,000 tonnes annually, with an estimated farm gate value of almost £380 million.
Although farmed Atlantic salmon dominates in Scotland, aquaculture is about much more. Scotland produces about 7,500 tonnes of rainbow trout and about 270 tonnes of brown trout and sea trout a year - worth about £10 million. Halibut, Arctic charr and cod are also farmed in Scotland. 1
Scotland has a successful shellfish farming sector, producing over 5,000 tonnes a year - mainly mussels and Pacific oysters. Smaller amounts of native oysters and queen and king scallops are also farmed. This has a total value of over £5 million. 2 There is an increasing appetite for Scottish shellfish and therefore real potential for this sector to grow to be able to meet that demand.
Active Fish and Shellfish Farms in Scotland - July 2008
There are 454 registered active finfish sites and 332 registered active shellfish sites in Scotland (Fisheries Research Services 2008).
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