Phil Thomas
Initial Points to Note
 Aquaculture is very different




from fisheries and is much
closer to agriculture.
It is aquatic ‘livestock
production’; in tank facilities,
rivers, lochs and in the sea.
Aquaculture is not a single
sector.
Production species vary –
within finfish and shellfish
categories.
Freshwater and sea-farm
production; for salmon both.
 Production systems vary
between and within
species.
 Europe – Mussels, oysters,
other shellfish: carp, eels,
bass, bream, Arctic char,
brown trout, sea trout,
rainbow trout, cod,
halibut, turbot, Atlantic
salmon.
 Scotland – main
production is Atlantic
salmon, rainbow trout and
mussels.
Shellfish
Information on Mussels Use
Value at First Sale
Shellfish
£M
Mussels
8.3
Native Oysters
0.14
Queen
0.003
Pacific oyster
1.25
Scallop
0.09
Total
 90% sales to UK
 10% export sales
 35% fresh product
 65% added value
product
9.8 (8.3 in 2010)
Data 2011
Significant scope for expansion – increase by 100% by 2020 is National
Marine Plan Target. Some expansion will be integrated multi-trophic
aquaculture, involving salmon + mussels + seaweed. Two pilot
studies are already in progress.
Production: Shellfish
Mussels
Comparative Data 2008
Trout
 Trout farming is UK activity






rather than ‘Scottish’
Scotland produces about
5o% UK output, ca £14M
per annum.
15% (30% UK) live sales for
stocking
Of food sales - 95% into the
UK market
85-90% fresh/chilled
10-15% value added product
Perceived opportunities in
large trout – like salmon
Trout
Comparative data 2008
Technology Development
After Hanlon
Plastic Pens
(After, Chopin, 2010)
Atlantic Salmon
Current Salmon production 157,000 tonnes. Value £540M at farm gate.
National Marine Plan target is 220k tonnes by 2020
250
Salmon x 1000 tonnes
Planned
200
150
100
50
0
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Food-chain
Tradition Model
Primary
Producer
Primary
Processor
Value-added
Processor
Imports/
Exports
Imports/
Exports
Distributor or
wholesaler
Imports/
Exports
Retailer or
Food Service
Imports/
Exports
Salmon-chain Model
1. In the salmon-chain there has been increased vertical integration both from the
primary producers down the chain and for added value processors up the chain.
2. Similar integrative effects have been created in some cases through strategic
alliances between sectors.
3. Salmon sells in a global market. Because Scottish salmon is the leading premium
product, balance of home use, exports and imports is potentially dynamic and price
and supply sensitive.
Salmon
 83% fresh/chilled
 12% frozen
 5% smoked
 Over 60 value-added
products and formats on
the market
SWOT Analysis on Scottish Aquaculture
Strengths
 Most developed aquaculture in UK
 Best water quality in UK
 Traditional quality branding
 Leading EU-salmon
 Leading UK-trout
 Supplier of high-quality shellfish
Opportunities
 Strong demands and growth in
demand for products (salmon and
shellfish particularly)
 Potential for substantial increases in
production
 Good market access and market
penetration (salmon in particular)
Weaknesses
 Failure to achieve ‘better regulation’
in planning , licensing and
regulation.
 Some sectors require further
development (shellfish)
 Essential investment is variable
between sectors
Threats
 Pr0active objectors to aquaculture
 Failure to maintain investor
confidence and so failure to develop
 Failure to be competitive with
imports (varies by sector)
 Prolonged national economic
stagnation
Scottish Aquaculture Strategy
Our shared vision is that Scotland will have a
sustainable, diverse, competitive and economically
viable aquaculture industry of which its people can
be justifiably proud. It will deliver high quality
healthy food to consumers at home and abroad
and social and economic benefits to communities,
particularly in rural and remote areas.
‘Scottish Aquaculture Strategy: A Fresh
Start’
Strategic themes and Working Groups:
 Healthier fish and shellfish (Reported)
 Improved systems for licensing aquaculture developments
(ISLAD)(ongoing)
 Improved containment (ongoing)
 Better marketing and improved image (actions; but in
abeyance)
 Improved access to finance (in abeyance)
 Shellfish Forum (some ongoing)
Planning Reform for Aquaculture
Joint Initiative – Supported by
Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and
Sustainable Growth and Minister for Environment
DPRFA2 sets out what each party will continue
to do and how they will work together to refine the
planning system for aquaculture. The benefits
from continuing to improve efficiency in the
planning system will ----Members:
5 Local Authorities
Marine Scotland
Marine Scotland Science
SNH
SEPA
SSPO
ASFB
Issues for Aquaculture
 Further development of salmon Production – more farms
 Further development and refocusing of trout
 Development, including structural development, for
shellfish.
Ongoing Activities
 Demand for salmon is high but prices have reduced
substantially. Not sufficient Scottish production to open up
major new markets. Industry heavily engaged in ongoing
technical developments and communication strategies.
 Trout – portion size trout static and margins low. New
initiatives in large trout.
 Mussels – industry continues to grow steadily, but new sites
problematic. IMTA under test, also cross-sector initiatives.
Challenges to Aquaculture Development
 Difficult planning development environment. Finfish sites




always challenging, because of anti-farming campaigners.
Vast proportion of farm sites still stuck in the 2007 process
of transference into planning system . (Audit & Review).
‘’SEPA now routinely objects to proposed shellfish sites’’
Current Marine Scotland Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill
proposals are regarded as disproportionate and barriers to
progress.
Marine Scotland is widely considered to be failing to
address its economic/business development remit. It is
regarded as having no aquaculture ‘champions’ and is
widely held in low regard. SDI regarded as very helpful.
Public Interest in Aquaculture
Cragg Ross Dawson: Overview
The general impression of Scottish aquaculture seems positive:
consumers are generally satisfied with the product
ignorance of and reservations about it are not off-putting
retailers have sufficient confidence in it to use it as a major
source
NGOs query specific issues but not the general necessity
Key questions are:
whether to do more to promote and inform people about
aquaculture
if so, what to say about it
20
The End