Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2025

5. Scottish Marine Regions

The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 introduces integrated management of Scotland's seas. The creation of a National Marine Plan, as required by the Act, sets the wider context for planning within Scotland including what should be considered when creating regional marine plans. Eleven Scottish Marine Regions have been created under the Act (see Figure 4) which cover sea areas extending out to 12 nautical miles.

To support the development of Regional Marine Plans by Regional Marine Planning Partnerships, tonnages and financial values of annual finfish production have been calculated for the regions defined under the Act. These regional data are presented in Appendix 3. In order to maintain commercial confidentiality salmon production figures for Argyll & Clyde and the North Coast & West Highlands have been merged. Other finfish species including brown/sea trout, rainbow trout, halibut and cleaner fish were produced, however these figures cannot be attributed to Scottish Marine Regions due to commercial confidentiality.

Note: Some SMRs have been combined to maintain confidentiality, the regions used were as follows: North Coast & West Highlands, Shetland Isles, Argyle & Clyde, Outer Hebrides and the Orkney Islands.

Note: Some SMRs have been combined to maintain confidentiality, the regions used were as follows: North Coast & West Highlands, Shetland Isles, Argyle & Clyde, Outer Hebrides and the Orkney Islands. Average price (real) have been adjusted for inflation based on 2025 price estimates.

In 2025, North Coast & West Highlands remained the largest Atlantic salmon producing region, with production of 63,334 tonnes and an estimated value of £388.2 million. Argyll & Clyde produced 47,629 tonnes (£292.0 million), followed by the Shetland Isles with 37,728 tonnes (£231.3 million). Production was lower in the Orkney Islands and Outer Hebrides, at 26,310 tonnes (£161.3 million) and 22,835 tonnes (£140.0 million), respectively.

Data Source: Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2025, Supplementary Tables, Table 45.