© Salmon Scotland
Post-Brexit protections for farm-raised Scottish salmon have been updated to prevent the risk of food fraud through imports of inferior products with lower environmental and food safety standards which could misleadingly be sold as “Scottish Salmon."
The decision by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) means that the name of the “protected geographical indication” (PGI) will change from "Scottish Farmed Salmon" to "Scottish Salmon" by the end of April, with this corresponding to the strict geographical criteria of “the coastal region of mainland Scotland, Western Isles, Orkney, and Shetland Isles.”
Scottish Salmon is the UK’s largest food export, with international sales alone being valued at £581 million last year - led by demand in France. This is in addition to domestic sales of the fish within the UK, which are worth approximately £1.2 billion annually, according to Salmon Scotland.
Through the updated regulations, both Defra and Scottish fish farmers hope to decrease the ambiguity around what can be described as “Scottish salmon,” thereby increasing the confidence of consumers in the origins of the products they buy.
“Farm-raised Scottish Salmon is a globally recognised brand and rightly considered the best in the world, so it is vital that we take steps to protect our premium product from food fraud,” said Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland.
“When consumers talk about ‘Scottish salmon’, they are talking about farm-raised Atlantic salmon from Scotland - and this change makes that clear. Scotland’s salmon farmers work hard to rear their fish, and this recognition by Defra is testament to the commitment of all those in remote communities who continue to meet the growing demand for Scottish salmon at home and abroad,” he added.
