Investing in a sustainable future for Shetland salmon

Salmon Scotland chief executive Tavish Scott is up front about the most pressing conundrum facing the industry – sustainability.

“It’s the biggest challenge that all producers of protein face, whether you are crofting in Shetland or growing fish in sea pens. We need to be part of the worldwide drive to reduce emissions and help Scotland and the UK achieve net-zero carbon targets.”

But Mr Scott is confident that steps being taken in Shetland, both by those working within the sector and strategic organisations like the Orion Clean Energy project, mean net-zero salmon production will be a reality.

Nationally, Scottish salmon is the number one UK food export. One fifth of that is fish produced in Shetland.

Given the scale of its production, isles-based aquaculture expects to play a big part in the carbon reduction drive.

“Shetland has a great opportunity through the operations of the salmon farming sector but also by joint working with projects like Orion.

“Our industry is investing massively in improving fish husbandry and sustainability.”

Orion aims to harness renewable energy to power the production of green hydrogen at existing energy industry sites like the Sullom Voe oil terminal.

That hydrogen could then be used by the aquaculture and other industries to fuel their boats, barges and generators­ without expelling any carbon dioxide.

Additionally, by-product of hydrogen generation is oxygen, crucial in keeping farmed fish healthy, which could be sourced locally instead of being shipped to Shetland.

Cutting emissions is not the only environmental initiative salmon farms have in their sights.

Efforts continue to eliminate the use of antibiotics used under veterinary supervision to maintain fish health.

Shetland has some natural assistance on that front – the cool waters and strong tides make the isles an ideal fish farming location.

“That provides us with a great opportunity,” said Mr Scott, adding that it represented further good news for Shetland with the industry being a huge economic player.

Shetland salmon farms employ 410 people directly, with many more working in the supply chain. That means £17 million of salaries in Shetland households.

Career opportunities

Many of those employees are products of Shetland’s well-respected education system, and new school links are being forged to develop apprenticeships and trainee schemes for the next generation of young people.

With plenty of opportunities for promotion, and salmon farms offering an average salary of around £34,000 it could be a wise career choice – and help provide good jobs in remote and island locations.

Some 36,000 tonnes of salmon are exported from Shetland each year, produced at 47 marine sites across the isles.

Those sites are served by around 370 different suppliers many of which have bases in Shetland and take in about £70 million from the industry.

Salmon farming itself is estimated to have a “gross value added” figure of £115 million in Shetland.