Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2025
This report is based on the returns of an annual survey questionnaire sent to all active authorised fish farming businesses in Scotland during 2025. Statistics on employment, production and value are presented.
Executive Summary
The tables below summarise the results from the 2025 fish farm production survey (slight differences between these summary figures and those in the main report are due to rounding).
| Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) | Units | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total production | (tonnes) | 8,171 | 3,592 |
| Production for the table | (tonnes) | 7,695 | 3,227 |
| Production for restocking | (tonnes) | 476 | 365 |
| Number of staff employed | (number of people) | 106 | 88 |
| Mean productivity | (tonnes/person) | 77.1 | 40.8 |
| Number of ova laid down to hatch | (millions) | 4.5 | 3.4 |
| Number of ova imported | (millions) | 2.2 | 1.2 |
In 2025, the production of rainbow trout decreased by 4,579 tonnes (56%) compared with 2024, to 3,592 tonnes. Employment decreased by 18 staff (17%) and mean productivity decreased to 40.8 tonnes per person. The number of ova laid down to hatch decreased to 3.4 million and the number of ova imported decreased to 1.2 million.
Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)
| Ova and smolts | Units | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of ova produced | (millions) | 55.7 | 63.7 |
| Number of ova laid down to hatch | (millions) | 89.5 | 90.5 |
| Number of ova exported | (millions) | 0 | 0 |
| Number of ova imported | (millions) | 54.9 | 43.7 |
| Number of smolts produced | (millions) | 44.6 | 53.5 |
| Number of smolts put to sea | (millions) | 45.8 | 53.6 |
| Number of staff employed | (number of people) | 280 | 319 |
| Mean productivity | (thousands of smolts/person) | 159.4 | 167.6 |
In 2025, ova production increased to 63.7 million and the number of ova laid down to hatch increased to 90.5 million. No ova were exported, while ova imports decreased to 43.7 million. Smolt production and the number of smolts put to sea increased to 53.5 million and 53.6 million, respectively. Employment increased by 39 staff (14%) and mean productivity rose by 8,200 smolts per person.
| Production fish | Units | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total production | (tonnes) | 192,000 | 197,836 |
| Production of year 0 salmon | (tonnes) | 174 | 1,306 |
| Production of grilse | (tonnes) | 66,995 | 82,407 |
| Production of pre-salmon | (tonnes) | 46,144 | 32,908 |
| Production of year 2 salmon | (tonnes) | 78,687 | 81,215 |
| Mean weight year 0 salmon | (kg) | 3.3 | 2.2 |
| Mean weight grilse | (kg) | 5.3 | 5.5 |
| Mean weight pre-salmon | (kg) | 5.2 | 4.9 |
| Mean weight year 2 salmon | (kg) | 5.9 | 6.7 |
| Number of staff employed | (number of people) | 1,362 | 1,410 |
| Mean productivity | (tonnes/person) | 141 | 140 |
In 2025, Atlantic salmon production increased by 5,836 tonnes (3%) to 197,836 tonnes. Production of year 0 salmon, grilse and year 2 salmon increased, while production of pre-salmon decreased. The mean harvest weight of grilse and year 2 salmon increased, while the mean harvest weight of year 0 salmon and pre-salmon decreased. Employment increased by 48 staff (4%) and mean productivity decreased slightly to 140 tonnes per person.
Smolt survival (percentage harvested)
| Survival (%) | Year 0 + 1 | Year 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 input year class | 37.6 | 24.2 | 61.8 |
| 2023 input year class | 44.1 | 24.7 | 68.8 |
The smolt survival rate increased to 68.8% for the 2023 input year class. Mortality is included in the number of fish not harvested for human consumption, which also includes fish that escaped, were culled for production reasons, removed for sampling purposes, subject to statutory culls, or selected for broodstock production.
Other Species
Including brown/sea trout (Salmo trutta); halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus); lumpsucker (Cyclopterus lumpus) and several species of wrasse (Labridae).
| Other species | Units | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total production | (tonnes) | 26 | 14 |
| Number of staff employed | (full-time) | 20 | 24 |
| Number of staff employed | (part-time) | 8 | 5 |
| Number of ova laid down to hatch | (millions) | 0.01 | 0.03 |
| Number of ova imported | (millions) | 0 | 0 |
Production of other species remained limited in 2025. Brown/sea trout production decreased from 23 tonnes to 14 tonnes, while halibut and wrasse continued to be reared at a small number of sites. Some production and trade figures cannot be published as this would disclose information relating to individual producers. No cleaner fish production was reported in 2025, although juvenile wrasse production activities continued. Employment increased slightly to 29 staff, and no ova imports were reported.
Fish farm escape incidents notified to the Scottish Government, 2025
Note: Potential escape incidents are reported incidents where no fish loss was confirmed. Confirmed escape incidents are those where fish loss was confirmed.
| Species | Potential escape incidents | Confirmed escape incidents | Fish escaped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow trout | 0 | 2 | 63 |
| Atlantic salmon (freshwater stages) | 0 | 2 | 4,465 |
| Atlantic salmon (seawater stages) | 5 | 3 | 75,764 |
| Other species (from sites rearing seawater Atlantic salmon) | 0 | 1 | 6,314 |
Escapes data from previous annual survey reports are available in the Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2025, Supplementary Tables, Table 46.
Contact
Email: MD.Productionsurvey@gov.scot