Salmon farming "pays 100 million pounds of British tax"

The salmon industry claims to contribute more than £ 100 million in British taxes, although it is controlled by parent companies in Norway.

The industry's professional body commissioned an independent economic study on the economic impact of salmon farming, partly to cope with criticism.

The study revealed a turnover of more than £ 1 billion.

The amount of gross value added – a measure of the sector's output – amounted to 365 million pounds at last year's prices.

The impact of the turnover devoted to wages and taxes, as well as the indirect impact on spending from other sectors in Scotland, should bring the total impact to double from that of receipts, to more than £ 2 billion.

• "Not enough evidence" for salmon moratorium
• Fish farms do not meet environmental standards

Richard Marsh, author of the 4-consulting study, estimated that the scale of the sector's impact on the economy, including its tax contribution, is greater than that of the most other sectors of the economy.

Much of the industry's spending is in Scotland and represents a major investor in capital goods. This year, a new large fish feed factory will open in Kyleakin, Skye.

The contribution of corporate tax for the last year would be £ 50m, and £ 24m was paid to HMRC through income tax and national insurance. An additional £ 37 million was paid directly, net, on production and products.

Richard Marsh calculated that 76 million pounds had been paid in wages. The average salary of its 2,300 employees in 2018 was £ 34,000.

A more detailed study published in 2017 and commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise revealed higher value added, although it covers a wider range of aquaculture. The Scottish Salmon Producers Association (SSPO) does not consider that the way of compiling the figures is comparable.

SSPO's Hamish McDonell said: "An overall economic impact of more than £ 2 billion is a major advantage for the Scottish economy, but with average salaries of £ 34,000 for the 2,300 people employed directly. , The most fragile and sparsely populated rural areas of Scotland. "