Farmed salmon. (Copyright: FIS)

Scottish salmon producers reveal mortality rates

UNITED KINGDOM
Thursday, August 16, 2018, 00:30 (GMT + 9)

A new report on the salmon farming industry in Scotland, released by the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO), shows monthly salmon mortality figures in Scottish farms as part of its efforts to offer increased transparency and understanding of this key sector.

The monthly mortality figures, covering all the Scottish salmon farms, reveal that for the first four months of this year, survival rates on Scottish salmon farms ranged between 98.5 per cent and 99 per cent.

In addition, the report shows that during the analysed period, around 60 per cent of salmon farms stocked with fish had less than 1 per cent mortality.

The accumulated mortality is calculated for the whole production cycle and, therefore, is reported at the end of the cycle, when all the fish are harvested at a farm.

According to the organisation, the reporting is believed to be a first among all farming sectors in the United Kingdom and is at the forefront of international reporting for salmon farming globally.

“The health and welfare of salmon is hugely important to salmon farmers. This regular, voluntary publication is unparalleled and sets a precedent for transparency in business reporting,” pointed out Julie Hesketh-Laird, Chief Executive of the SSPO.

In her view, the document sets a baseline to show future trends and currently around two-thirds of active salmon farms have 99 per cent survival rates.

For her part, Scottish Government Chief Veterinary Officer, Sheila Voas, stated that the recently published 10-year Farmed Fish Health Framework for Scotland is a progressive step towards mortality level transparancy, bringing together producers, government and regulators to address the big issues in Aquaculture.

SSPO’s published figures build on the longstanding reporting to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Marine Scotland.

 
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