UK aquaculture
Aquaculture is the fastest growing food supply sector globally.
Farmed salmon continues to be our most valuable food export. In 2023, overall aquaculture production slightly decreased, but there was a large rise is carp production for recreational fishing.
Did you know? The UK’s first commercial fish farm was established in 1965 at Loch Ailort in the Scottish Highlands.
Please note that the latest data available aquaculture data from CEFAS is for 2023
Top 5 species by value in 2023
- 1. Atlantic salmon – £1138m (-7%)
- 2. Rainbow trout – £59m (+6%)
- 3. Sea mussels – £19m (+30%)
- 4. Pacific cupped oyster – £13.3m (+35%)
- 5. Common carp – £4m (+63%)
Top 5 species by value in 2023
Top 5 species by volume (tonnes) in 2023
- 1. Atlantic salmon – 150,949 (-11%)
- 2. Sea mussels – 15,911 (+13%)
- 3. Rainbow trout – 13,034 (0%)
- 4. Pacific cupped oyster – 2,423 (-6%)
- 5. Common carp – 110 (+26%)
Top 5 species by volume (tonnes) in 2023
Data notes and sources
Landings
Data Source: Marine Management Organisation.
Reference: MMO monthly landings statistics
Click here to view the dataFleet economic performance
Data source: Seafish
Reference: Seafish Fleet Enquiry Tool
Click here to view the dataNote that 2024 performance and landings data is provisional
Aquaculture production
Data Source: Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture (CEFAS)
Reference: Data supplied directly to Seafish
Trade (Imports and Exports)
Data Source: HMRC monthly data via Business Trade Statistics (BTS), processed by Seafish.
Reference: Seafish Trade and Tariff Tool
Click here to view the dataNote that 2024 trade data is provisional
Processing
Retail data
NielsenIQ ScanTrack data to 52 week ending 30/12/2024; Reference - Monthly Retail Report 52
week ending (w/e) data to 30.12.24; Click here to view the report; Click here to view the factsheets.
Foodservice data
Circana data to year end December 2024; Reference - 2024 Q4 NPD Data Sheet; Click here to view the report; Click here to view the factsheets.