The Scottish Government has published the Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2025 with statistics on the employment and production from Scottish fish farms.

“It is structured to follow industry trends within the farmed Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout and other species sectors,” said the Scottish Government.

The survey reported that 2025 production of Atlantic salmon increased by 5,836 tonnes (3%) to 197,836 tonnes.

The survival to harvest rate for the 2023 Atlantic salmon year class increased to 68.8%, compared with 61.8% for the 2022 year class.

The total number of staff directly employed in salmon production in seawater was 1,410, an increased of 48 people (4%) compared with 2024. These staffing figures do not include staff involved in processing or marketing activities.

The total number of smolts produced in 2025 increased by 8.9 million (20%) to 53.5 million.

Production of rainbow trout decreased by 4,579 tonnes (56%) to 3,592 tonnes, largely due to a major rainbow trout producer being acquired by a salmon producer.

Trade body Salmon Scotland said the industry supports 11,000 jobs in Scotland and generates £760 million for the local economy.

Salmon Scotland CEO Tavish Scott said: “These figures are another vote of confidence in Scottish salmon, with production up by three per cent as our farmers respond to strong demand at home and growing interest in markets around the world.

“Employment is also up again, underlining the importance of salmon farming to Scotland’s rural and coastal communities. These are high-quality, well-paid jobs which help sustain local economies and enable communities to thrive.

“Our producers are continuing to invest for the future, helping ensure Scotland can meet growing demand at home and overseas while supporting the communities where salmon farming matters most.”