Aquaculture in the Western Isles
Introduction
The aquaculture industry in the Western Isles had its origins in trout and shellfish farming trails in the 1970s. The focus soon moved from trout to salmon, which commanded a higher market price and by the early 1980s commercial scale salmon farming was well established. With financial assistance under the EEC Integrated Development Programme (IDP) the industry expanded rapidly in the mid eighties. Most of the larger sea lochs around the Western Isles are now utilised for aquaculture and the industry is a major contributor to the local economy. Salmon is by far the most important species while the potential for shellfish farming has yet to be developed to any significant extent.
An estimated 400 persons or employed full time in the aquaculture industry. within the primary and secondary sectors of the economy, only the fishing industry provides more full-time employment.
Seabed leases for marine fish farming are controlled by the Crown Estate. Over 200 leases have been granted in the coastal waters of the Western Isles but fewer than half of those are currently in active production. Fresh water fish farming operations require planning permission from the Local Authority and all forms of fish farming are subject to a variety of environmental health regulations.
Salmon farming
Total output from Western Isles salmon farms in 1994 was 9,493 tonnes - around 15% of the Scottish total - with a first sale value of around 25 million pounds. For comparison, landings of fish and shellfish to the Western Isles in 1994 amounted to 6,028 tonnes, valued at 10.5 million pounds.
Most companies now operate several sites to allow for separation of year classes and rotational fallowing, in order to minimise disease risks. The development of vaccines, now generally administered prior to smolting, improvements in feed and husbandry practices have contributed to improved survival and growth of salmon in recent years. A recent development is the use of light (photoperiod control) to advance smoltinh, which allows on-growers greater ability to match their production to seasonal market demand.
Around 60% of farmed salmon is sold fresh, mainly within the UK, with the balance going for smoking and other forms of processing. There are two large, purpose built salmon packing/processing plants in the Western Isles and severalk smaller facilities engaged in packing and smoking. Virtually all the smaller independent companies market their salmon through Hebrides Harvest Ltd., a jointly owned marketing company.
Shellfish farming
The potential of shellfish farming in the Western Isles was demonstrated by pilot projects undertaken by the Council and the HIDB between 1978 and 1985. Trails with oysters, scallops and mussels showed that the techniques were relatively simple and, with financial assistance under the IDP, over 50 small mussel farms were set up between 1983 and 1988. The SOAFD Survey for 1994 recorded returns from 20 shellfish farms in the Western Isles with total production of 60 tonnes of mussels and 43,000 Pacific oysters, equivalent to 8% and 2% of total Scottish production.
 Future Prospects
Looking ahead, the best prospects for viable farming of shellfish may be seabed culture of higher value species such as scallops and, in the longer term, crustaceans such as lobster. Extensive cultivation on the seabed is potentially more cost-effective than conventional intensive systems which involve relatively high capital costs. However, before such developments occur there are various economic, technical and regulatory pre-cursors. Seabed culture will require a Several Order to give the farmer legal ownership of stock.
Although it is technically possible to farm a wide range of fin-fish species, only salmon and troat have so far proved commercially viable in the UK. Recent research and development effort has concentrated on halibut and commercial farming of this species in Scotland is expected to develop over the next few years. The SFIA Marine Farming Unit at Ardtoe, on the west coast of Scotland and the British Halibut Association, a consortium of public bodies and fish farming companies, are promoting work on halibut. The Council is a member of the BHA and has assisted with halibut on-growing trials in the Western Isles.
Another recent development is the European PESCA fishing initiative.
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