---
title: "Scottish Atlantic salmon production rises 3% to nearly 198,000 tonnes in 2025"
summary: "Scotland's Atlantic salmon output grew by 5,836 tonnes to 197,836 tonnes in 2025, driven by higher harvest weights, improved survival rates and greater numbers of fish, according to the Scottish Government's annual fish farm production survey. Smolt production also surged 20%, while rainbow trout output fell sharply following Mowi Scotland's acquisition of Dawnfresh."
url: "https://feedsoft.ai/articles/scottish-atlantic-salmon-production-rises-3-to-nearly-198-000-tonnes-in-2025-543b9316"
publisher: "The Feed Report"
section: "Aquafeed"
author: "The Feed Desk"
datePublished: "2026-10-01T01:49:20.937Z"
dateModified: "2026-10-01T01:49:20.937Z"
sources:
  - title: "Scottish salmon production increased by 3% last year"
    url: "https://www.fishfarmingexpert.com/atlantic-salmon-fish-farm-production-survey-salmon-farming/scottish-salmon-production-increased-by-3-last-year/2188610"
---

# Scottish Atlantic salmon production rises 3% to nearly 198,000 tonnes in 2025

*Scotland's Atlantic salmon output grew by 5,836 tonnes to 197,836 tonnes in 2025, driven by higher harvest weights, improved survival rates and greater numbers of fish, according to the Scottish Government's annual fish farm production survey. Smolt production also surged 20%, while rainbow trout output fell sharply following Mowi Scotland's acquisition of Dawnfresh.*

Production of Atlantic salmon in Scotland rose by 5,836 tonnes, or 3%, to 197,836 tonnes (wet weight) in 2025, according to the Scottish Government's Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2025, published on 30 September 2026.

The increase was attributed to higher harvest weights and greater production of both grilse (one sea winter) and year 2 salmon. The survival-to-harvest rate for the 2023 Atlantic salmon year class rose seven percentage points to 68.8%, compared with 61.8% for the 2022 year class, though it remained lower than in five of the six preceding years.

The anti-salmon farming Green Britain Foundation, funded by vegan multi-millionaire Dale Vince, said the 68.8% survival figure meant that "15 million fish never made it to harvest". Trade body Salmon Scotland countered that farmed salmon spend around 18 months at sea, meaning the survival-to-harvest figures in the report lag behind more recent sector data. The organisation said monthly survival rates in 2025 averaged 98.3%, and that average monthly survival reached 99.05% in the first seven months of 2026, compared with 99.07% over the same period in 2025.

Salmon Scotland chief executive Tavish Scott said the figures were "another vote of confidence in Scottish salmon, with production up by 3% as our farmers respond to strong demand at home and growing interest in markets around the world".

The trend towards larger operations continued, with 91% of production concentrated in sites producing more than 1,000 tonnes per annum. Production in 2026, based on stocks currently being on-grown, is estimated at 199,200 tonnes.

The total number of staff directly employed in seawater salmon production in 2025 rose by 48 people (4%) to 1,410, compared with 2024, though this excludes staff in processing or marketing. Overall productivity edged down slightly, from 141 to 140 tonnes produced per person.

Smolt production increased significantly, rising by 8.9 million (20%) to 53.5 million in 2025, of which 51% were produced as S½ smolts and 49% as S1 smolts. The number of ova produced rose to 63.7 million, and ova laid down to hatch increased by 1% to 90.5 million. Some 43% of ova were imported, with the remaining 57% derived from GB broodstock, representing a 40% increase on the 2024 figure. Staff employed on freshwater sites grew by 39 (14%) to 319. Projections indicate smolt production will continue to rise in 2026 and 2027.

Rainbow trout production fell sharply, decreasing by 4,579 tonnes (56%) to 3,592 tonnes, largely due to Dawnfresh Farming being acquired by salmon producer Mowi Scotland, which has repurposed some former Dawnfresh sites for Atlantic salmon smolt and post-smolt production. Staff employed in the rainbow trout sector fell by 18 people (17%) to 88, though some will have moved into the Atlantic salmon sector.

## Sources

- [Scottish salmon production increased by 3% last year](https://www.fishfarmingexpert.com/atlantic-salmon-fish-farm-production-survey-salmon-farming/scottish-salmon-production-increased-by-3-last-year/2188610)

*Cite as: The Feed Report, "Scottish Atlantic salmon production rises 3% to nearly 198,000 tonnes in 2025", https://feedsoft.ai/articles/scottish-atlantic-salmon-production-rises-3-to-nearly-198-000-tonnes-in-2025-543b9316 (as of 2026-10-01).*