The latest figures showed that salmon sales have increased by 9.1% in one year in the UK.
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It was the star of the Christmas tables and is sure to be it again on New Year's. According to information provided by Salmon Scotland - based on figures from Seafish/Nielsen ScanTrack -, salmon is the UK's favourite fish, with the latest figures showing sales up 9.1% in a year.
In the 12 months to June, sales reached more than GBP 1.2 billion (EUR 1.4 billion / USD 1.5 billion), representing more than a quarter (28%) of all fish bought in the UK, and year-on-year growth for salmon exceeded the 4.8% increase recorded for all fish.
In the refrigerated seafood sector, salmon maintained its leading position, with a 4% share in value among the top 10 refrigerated species and selling approximately four times more than warm water prawns, its closest competitor.
Meanwhile, smoked salmon - a holiday staple - accounted for 25.2% of salmon sales, with demand expected to increase further during the current festive season.
Although total salmon sales also include non-Scottish salmon sold in the UK, Salmon Scotland said the figures reflect strong demand and consumer confidence in Scottish salmon, raised in the waters off the Highlands and islands.
"Scottish salmon's success as the UK's biggest food export is well known, but salmon is also by far the most popular fish here at home," said Tavish Scott, CEO of Salmon Scotland. "Salmon accounts for more than a quarter of all UK seafood sales, with consumers eager for a highly nutritious, locally sourced meal."
Scott added that while this is fantastic news for the health of the nation, it also highlights how vital salmon is to its economy, supporting thousands of jobs, both in remote coastal communities and across Scotland.
"The popularity of Scottish salmon continues to soar, both at home and abroad, and we are heading for a record-breaking year. This reflects the strong consumer confidence in Scottish salmon, which remains as robust as ever," Salmon Scotland's CEO added.
With third-quarter data showing international sales up 11% to GBP 191 million (EUR 229.5 million / USD 239.2 million) between June and September, bringing the nine-month total to GBP 622 million (EUR 747.5 million / USD 778.9 million), as Tavish Scott did, trade body Salmon Scotland also pointed out that, separately, exports are on track for a record-breaking year.
That GBP 622 million figure achieved in nine months is already GBP 4 million (EUR 4.8 million / USD 5 million) higher than the 2019 annual total of GBP 618 million (EUR 742.6 million / USD 774 million), which was, so far, the highest on record, and there are still three months to go before the gap continues to widen.
Farmed in five areas along the west coast of Scotland and the Northern Isles, Scottish salmon remains the UK's largest food export. Each quarter of 2024 has shown increases in both volume and sales, with the April to June period recording the strongest growth, and France, the United States and China, as key markets for that export increase, with Taiwan and Singapore completing the top five.
The good economic figures for salmon exports are in addition to others that have made 2024 a great year for the aquaculture sector in Scotland, which has seen, for example, how the Scottish farmed salmon got 98% survival rate in September; how several aquaculture ventures netted more than GBP 2. 5 million (EUR 3 million / USD 3.1 million) from the Scottish Government's Marine Fund; or how science was used to improve the sector with the inauguration of the new National Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Hub (NATIH), under public ownership, or the development of Scotland's first commercial eDNA lab for the aquaculture sector, in this case under private ownership.
