The Scottish Abstract of Statistics No 26,1998

9 agriculture, forestry and fisheries

Agriculture

9.1 The Scottish Agricultural Census, which is carried out in June each year by The Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department (SOAEFD), provides information on farm tenure, crop area, livestock numbers and manpower. A form is sent to all farms classed as main holdings which are, broadly speaking, those with total agricultural land of one hectare or more and where the net value of crops and livestock is more than about one and two-thirds European Size Units at the time of last classification. In 1996 and 1997, almost 33 thousand of approximately 50 thousand holdings in Scotland were included in the annual census for main holdings. The remainder, classed as minor holdings, are sampled once every three years. The information obtained by the Census is used to make and monitor policy; it also forms part of the UK’s contribution to European Community statistics.

9.2 The Department also undertakes a number of surveys into the production, use and price of most farm commodities produced in Scotland, as well as a general purpose survey covering a range of purchased commodity inputs required by agriculture. These surveys are undertaken at either farm or trade level for, inter alia, the assessment of policy options, and in the calculation of aggregate farming input and output, and net product.

9.3 Statistics for agriculture are published by SOAEFD each year in the Economic Report on Scottish Agriculture. Input and net product for the United Kingdom as a whole are published in the Annual Review White Papers. Corresponding estimates for Scotland are not totally compatible with those for the United Kingdom.

Fishing

9.4 Section 15 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Protection) (Scotland) Act 1951 provides for the collection of returns from proprietors and occupiers of salmon fisheries. The figures quoted are the reported catch; no allowance is made for non-returns or gaps in the roll of proprietors or occupiers.

The weather, timing of salmon runs and the amount and quality of fishing effort can all affect the size and quality of salmon catches. As these factors may vary from year to year, a difference in catch between years does not necessarily indicate a difference in the abundance of the stock which provides the catch.

9.5 Statistics on sea fish landings in Scotland are collated by the 20 district fishery offices of the Sea Fish Inspectorate of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency. The data on weight, value and grade of fish landings are obtained from market sales notes completed at the first sale of the fish; additional information on fishing grounds, days at sea, hours fished etc of each fishing trip is obtained from the vessels’ European Community Log Books. Many statutory rules and regulations govern fishing operations in the interests of the conservation of fish stocks and the safety of life at sea. Licences are required to catch fish for profit, and there are various regulations relating, amongst other things, to the fishing gear that may be used (eg minimum mesh sizes), hygiene standards, safety and the presentation and quantity of fish which may be landed. The European Commission sets annual Total Allowable Catches for species requiring protection, based on scientific assessments of the state of the stocks; these are allocated to member states.

9.6 Data on vessels are obtained by fishery officers at the district fishery offices. All vessels actively engaged in commercial fishing and registered under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1988 are recorded. Estimates of numbers of fishermen regularly and partially employed are made at 31 December each year by the fishery officers in each sea fishery district.

9.7 The volume of fish landed is expressed in terms of standard landed weight: for most demersal fish (excluding Norway Pout and Sandeels) this means gutted fish with head on; for other fish (including shellfish) it means whole fish. The value is the amount obtained at the first sale of the fish. The various species of fish are divided into 3 main groups, demersal, pelagic and shellfish. Demersal species (white fish) lie on or near the sea bed. Pelagic species (eg herring, mackerel) are found in shoals near the surface. For pelagic species the direct sale (transhipments) by UK vessels to foreign container or factory vessels (klondykers) for immediate export are included in the figures.

Forestry

9.8 Just under half of Scotland’s forests are managed by the Forestry Commission. The two principal aims of the Government’s forestry policy are the sustainable management of our existing woods and forests and a steady expansion of tree cover to increase the many diverse benefits that forests provide. The Forestry Commission has a statutory duty to balance timber production and environmental considerations. The Woodland Grant Scheme encourages private woodland owners to manage their own estates for multi-purpose objectives. More specifically it is designed to achieve:

the planting of small woodlands as well as large; a greater proportion of planting in the lowlands, on better quality land; the creation of new forests on the outskirts of towns and cities; the maintenance and extension of natural woodland ecosystems; the management and regeneration of forests and woodlands.

9.9 Annual wood production from British forests meets less than 20 per cent of the domestic demand while the balance is imported at a cost of about £6 billion per annum. As the existing forests mature, British timber production is expected to supply about 25 per cent of the domestic demand by the year 2007. Scotland supplies nearly 50 per cent of Britain’s conifer production but only 7 per cent of Britain’s broadleaved production.