Salmon Scotland has made a call to raise awareness for making a “greater investment” in rural housing taking advantage of this week’s Programme for Government. The body aims to relocate the millions sent from rural areas to Crown Estate Scotland into investment in coastal areas.

According to the corporation, Scottish farmers have to pay more than £20 million a year to various regulators and quangos. To clarify, through cluttered licensing regimes and rent hikes. This is why it requests for around £10 million of the revenue to be reinvested in rural communities.

The main purpose of this is to attract more people to apply for jobs in coastal communities. Also retaining locals to help to tackle de-population.

As a reminder, Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, explained: “The shortage of available, affordable housing in the island and Highland communities is pricing people out of the housing market. Besides, businesses are experiencing problems recruiting and retaining staff – leading to hard-to-fill vacancies, skills shortages, and depopulation.”

Also, he remembered: “The greatest economic contributor to these coastal communities is the Scottish salmon sector. It directly provides 2,500 local jobs – and thousands more through the supply chain.”

“There is an opportunity in the Programme for Government for ministers to ensure the millions sent to quangos are put to better use by building affordable housing. Ensuring the economic success generated by Scotland’s biggest food export is enjoyed by the communities where we operate,” Scott concluded.

Less than a month ago, Salmon Scotland asked also to introduce changes to address labor shortage problems in the sector.