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The Scottish government has been criticised for its “slow progress” on regulating the salmon farming industry by a parliamentary inquiry that took evidence for five months before reaching its conclusion.
The report reveals that MSPs “seriously considered” calling for a moratorium on new farms and expansion of existing sites due to concerns over persistently high salmon mortality rates but did not do so due to uncertainties over the impact on jobs and communities.
The report called for “stronger leadership” and an immediate timetable from the Scottish government to address concerns over the long-term viability of salmon farming in Scotland, and for this to be overseen by a minister within a year.
Farmed Scottish salmon is the UK’s biggest global food export, worth £645m a year. The industry provides 2,500 direct jobs in sparsely populated islands and rural communities and estimates suggest it supports 10,000 further jobs in the wider supply chain.
The inquiry comes amid a record level of mortalities at Scottish salmon farms, which has fuelled increased scrutiny over fish welfare and environmental pollution. In 2023, an unprecedented 17.4 million salmon died on farms before harvesting, exceeding 2022’s 17.2 million mortalities. In the same year, salmon farming had the lowest production for decades, according to the Scottish government fish farm production survey, published in October.
The industry has blamed excessive deaths on factors outside its control, including unusually large numbers of micro jellyfish, potentially linked to global heating. Campaigners blame welfare issues such as overcrowding.
The investigation, which took place from April to October, followed a previous damning report into the sector in 2018, which cited high mortalities, “light touch” regulation and environmental concerns, concluding that any expansion of the industry required urgent action and regulatory reform.
Finlay Carson, MSP and convener of the rural affairs and islands committee said he recognised efforts by the industry to invest and innovate amid challenges.
“But further progress should have been made in implementing the recommendations of 2018, as well as anticipating the impact of climate change and rising sea temperatures on the industry,” he said. “Ultimately, it is the Scottish government’s role, as well as the industry’s, to drive the change agenda required to allow science, research and the regulatory landscape to keep pace with the rapidly changing marine environment.”
Carson told the Guardian that if no progress is made to address its concerns within 12 months, the committee will begin to look at the impact of a moratorium.
A series of recommendations from the inquiry included new powers to halt production on sites with persistently high mortality rates, increased transparency including the mandatory publication of weekly salmon mortality figures, setting welfare standards for farmed fish and an end to the siting of farms close to wild salmon migration routes.
Environmental and welfare groups welcomed the report but said it was “hugely disappointing” that it failed to call for a moratorium on industry growth.
John Aitchison, a spokesperson for the campaign group Coastal Communities Network Scotland, said: “The very high mortality figures in Scotland’s salmon farms are a national disgrace, so we welcome the recommendations.”
In October, the death of more than a million fish – the biggest mass die off of farmed salmon in Scotland – was recorded in a farm run by Mowi Scotland, the UK’s largest supplier.
Abigail Penny, executive director of Animal Equality UK, said: “This damning report lays bare the longstanding failures of Scottish farmed salmon producers, reaffirming what we have known for years: the industry is in a state of crisis.”
Tavish Scott, chief executive of industry body Salmon Scotland, said: “We engaged constructively with MSPs to provide evidence of the significant progress our sector has made, and we note that most of their recommendations are for the Scottish government.”
Mairi Gougeon, the cabinet secretary for rural affairs, said the government had made “significant progress” on a number of areas, including the management of sea lice and environmental protection, since the 2018 inquiry.
“I am grateful to the committee for their detailed report and recognise the call to make progress at pace in other key areas,” she said. “We will consider the report carefully and respond in due course.”
