How can Scotland cope with China’s salmon demands?

Costing the Earth – Scotland’s Salmon

The Scottish salmon industry had a major boost after China opened its doors to imports – but with the government setting a target to increase salmon production by 50% by 2020, local communities are divided over whether the financial rewards outweigh environmental concerns. Critics are concerned about the levels of sea lice at farms which can be passed on to passing wild fish and are particularly harmful to juvenile fish. They say escaped fish pass on genetic weakness to wild salmon if interbreeding occurs.

The Salmon and Trout Association’s Guy Linley-Adams says they are not against salmon farming but object to “the inappropriate location of some fish farms where they have negative effect on wild fish populations.”