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Shellfish farmers have called on the Scottish Government to help them release the huge potential of their industry, which could generate over £150m a year for the economically fragile areas of the Highlands and Islands.
Fish Update 13/08/2008
The Scottish Government has launched a public consultation on the Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture, which will guide the development of fish and shellfish farming. Shellfish farmers claim that their industry could be expanded massively with no adverse effects on the environment, but they lack the financial muscle to install the infrastructure to make that possible.
The latest figures for shellfish farming from 2007 show that 5,199 tonnes of mussels, oysters and scallops were produced with a first-sale value of £5.1m. The industry hopes that the Government strategy will help them expand production at least twenty-fold.
Doug McLeod, chairman of the Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers, said: "This strategy is an important initiative which we expect to encourage the more effective utilisation of Scotland's inshore marine resources, particularly in the sector of shellfish cultivation. That will benefit the economic and social future of rural and coastal communities, where shellfish farming provides a perfect fit with crofting and other economic activities. That will help to keep people in these areas."
A study carried out by Government scientists estimated that Scottish coastal waters could produce 100,000 tonnes of farmed shellfish annually without causing any environmental problems, such as have been seen by intensive shellfish production in France especially.
Doug McLeod said: "Shellfish cultivation, which in Scotland means mussels, oysters and scallops, has long been regarded as the 'Cinderella' of the Scottish aquaculture sector. This pejorative view is not reflected in many other countries, both within the European Community and elsewhere, where shellfish farming is given significant Government support. In light of the natural fecundity of Scottish waters, which have an estimated potential annual output of 100,000 tonnes of cultivated molluscs, combined with the relative absence of pollution in the optimal growing areas, we hope that this 'poor relation' perception will be corrected by the creation of a relevant, appropriate and focussed Strategic Framework."
The ASSG has emphasised to the Scottish Government that the industry will have little or no impact on the coastal environment.
Doug McLeod said: "The lack of environmental impact of shellfish cultivation, the absence of both inputs to the marine environment and impacting discharges, makes this activity a 'natural' for the relatively unpolluted waters of Scotland's coasts. We hope the development of the industry will be strongly encouraged under the aegis of the renewed Strategic Framework."
The ASSG has already contributed to the pre-consultation discussions, identifying issues which constrain the development of the industry. These include a lack of depuration and processing facilities near to the point of production, problems with transport costs from the remote production areas, and help to market what the ASSG regards as a prime product.
The ASSG is optimistic that the period of public consultation will confirm the potential of the industry and that it will reveal the necessity of Government support for the industry to realise its potential.
Doug McLeod said: "Strong market demand, combined with improved availability of production sites and the support of development funds through the European Fisheries Fund, operating within a positive Strategic Framework of policies, should create a winning formula for an expanding and profitable shellfish farming industry in Scotland."
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