Time to halt new salmon farms
Scottish Greens MSP Ariane Burgess has renewed her call for a pause on new salmon farms after a Scottish Government minister admitted salmon mortality is “too high” during an evidence session of the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee.
Around 12 million farmed salmon died prematurely in Scotland last year. Ariane pressed the minister on the contradiction between those figures and the claim that there is no systemic problem within the industry.
She also raised concerns about the lack of inspections and enforcement action at fish farms, and warned that Scotland’s international reputation is increasingly being damaged as restaurants and hospitality businesses choose not to serve Scottish farmed salmon due to welfare and environmental concerns.
Ariane said:
“The Scottish Government admits mortality is far too high, yet claims there is no systemic problem. That simply doesn’t withstand scrutiny when millions of fish are dying prematurely every year.
“These are the same warnings that were raised in 2018 and again in 2025. Yet in 2026 we are still seeing the same failures, the same lack of action and millions of fish dying early.
"Over twelve million farmed salmon dying in a single year is not a minor issue, it is a clear sign that something is deeply wrong with how this industry is operating. We don’t even know the full extent of the figures as the government won’t commit to publishing them all.
“The Government talks about investment and funding for the sector, but the reality on the ground is that mortality remains extremely high and meaningful improvements are not being delivered. To hear the Cabinet Secretary tell us that is because “nothing is ever straightforward” shows how little they have control on this industry.
“I welcome moves to increase inspections of marine sites and improve reporting on cleaner fish deaths. But these steps are long overdue and nowhere near enough to address the scale of the problem.”
Ariane added:
“The Scottish Parliament is approaching the end of this parliamentary session, but that must not mean the end of scrutiny of this industry.
Communities in the Highlands and Islands, campaigners and parliamentarians have spent years raising concerns about pollution, fish welfare and transparency in salmon farming, and the impact of farmed fish on our endangered wild salmon. Those concerns are not going away, and neither should the pressure for reform.
“If the Government is serious about animal welfare, environmental protection and restoring confidence in Scotland’s seafood sector, it must pause the expansion of salmon farms and undertake a fundamental overhaul of how this industry is regulated.”