Funding received for seabed rent from salmon farm businesses: EIR release

Information requested

Information on how the funding received from the license fee for seabed rent from salmon farm businesses is spent.

Response

The answer to your question is as follows. Rents for seabed leases for salmon farms are based on the value of the seabed used to the salmon farming business, levied as an appropriate percentage of the annual production business turnover achieved on that seabed. This is calculated at present by applying a fixed tariff per harvested gutted weight kg (or tonne), to the gutted weight tonnage harvested each year for sale that tenants are obliged to report to us. The fixed tariff has been calculated from a typical market price arrived at by valuation experts and their recommendation of what the appropriate percentage should be, which applies for and is reviewed every 5 years.

All revenues generated from Crown Estate Scotland within 12 nm, including those raised from salmon farming rents, less relevant costs, are paid to the Scottish Government (the consolidated fund) for distribution to local authorities for spend on coastal community benefit. Annual allocations are distributed in arrears following the finalisation of the annual accounts for the Scottish Crown Estate. The latest round, generated in 2019-20, was distributed in 2021 for expenditure during 2021-22. Further details of how CES revenues have been distributed across Local Authorities can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-crown-estate-revenue-allocations-2020-to-2021/.

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