Pictured: fresh mussels from the Isle of Mull, Scotland.
Photo: Richard Kellett / Adobe Stock.
Scotland’s shellfish farming industry reached a milestone in 2024, with common mussel production reaching 11,690 tonnes, the highest level ever recorded, according to newly-released Scottish Government statistics captured by the Scottish Shellfish Farm Production Survey 2024.
Covering data trends on production, employment, and economic performance from 2015 to 2024, the survey focuses on four key species: common mussels, Pacific oysters, native oysters, and king scallops, with information sourced directly from authorised shellfish farming businesses across Scotland.
Mussels, together with Pacific oysters, remain the dominant species in terms of both value and volume within Scotland’s shellfish sector, the survey found.
The figures for mussel production, up 13% from the previous year, correlate with an 80% rise in the number of mussel-producing sites with sufficient spat settlement, which grew from 54 in 2023 to 97 in 2024. The survey found that Shetland accounted for the vast majority of this production, producing 10,234 tonnes, or 88%, of the total.
While mussel output increased, Pacific oyster production slumped in 2024, with 2.4 million Pacific oyster shells produced for the table market, representing a 38% decline from the previous year. However, the report notes that this drop is primarily due to the closure of a major operator in the Highland region.
Meanwhile, the production of native oysters for the table rose significantly in 2024, increasing from 111,000 to 170,000 shells. King scallop production fell slightly by 4%, from 24,000 to 23,000 shells.
The survey also captured data on shellfish businesses, employment and economics, establishing that the number of authorised active shellfish farming businesses in 2024 was 100 - a total that the report authors note has "steadily declined in the last ten years from a value of 144 in 2015, dropping 31% over the decade". The total number of active farming sites was 178, with 60% of these located in Shetland.
The sector's production was dominated by a subset of businesses, the survey showed, with 11 firms accounting for 88% of the total common mussels produced, and two businesses producing 42% of the total Scottish Pacific oysters.
The survey also showed that employment in the sector underwent a modest decline from 2023, with a total of 241 full-time, part-time, and casual workers employed in 2024, marking a 2% reduction from the previous year.
Prices for shellfish fluctuated during the year, but overall, the sector achieved an estimated first sale value of approximately £14 million, 1% lower than in 2023. Of this, common mussels accounted for £12.3 million, with Pacific oysters valued at £1.5 million, and native oysters and king scallops each estimated at £0.1 million.
