Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2024

Introduction

The annual production survey of fish farms in Scotland for 2024 was carried out by the Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government. This survey collates annual production data from Scottish fin fish farm sites operated by authorised aquaculture production businesses. These are Official Statistics published in accordance with the Code of Practice for official Statistics. The production tonnage obtained is for the wet weight (i.e. weight of live fish) at harvest.

Responses to questionnaires from Scottish fish farming companies covering the period 1st January to 31st December 2024 are summarised in this report and returns are consistently received from 100% of companies. The questionnaires are given in the Supplementary Questionnaire Documentation. The survey is structured to allow readers to follow trends within the rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon and other farmed species sectors. Data from previous years have been reassessed and updated where necessary. To allow direct comparison to data provided in previous surveys, production information by region is presented in defined production areas. Data relating to production carried out in Na h-Eileanan Siar will be labelled as the Western Isles to maintain consistency with historical data sets.

To meet current accessibility legislation parts of this report have been reformatted. Where tables have had to be removed or reduced in size to meet accessibility requirements the full data sets are available in the Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2024, Supplementary Tables. Historic data are available on the Marine Directorate Data pages, Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey Data | Marine Scotland Data Publications, as well as in the new Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2024, Supplementary Tables. Also, Table 17 and Chart 31 exclude production figures for larval stage cleaner fish which may be traded for on-growing at facilities outside of Scotland, shortly after hatching. These now refer only to cleaner fish large enough to deploy on salmon farms. Trade in larval stage fish are included in Table 19.

The cooperation of the Scottish fish farming sector in completing the questionnaires is gratefully acknowledged.

October 2024

An Official Statistics Publication for Scotland

These statistics are official statistics. Official statistics are statistics that are produced by crown bodies, those acting on behalf of crown bodies, or those specified in statutory orders, as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.

Scottish Government statistics are regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

More information about Scottish Government statistics is available on the Scottish Government website.