Importance of aquaculture
Aquaculture is the fastest growing food supply sector globally.
It's dominated in the UK by salmon production – our most valuable food export. We're also big producers of mussels and oysters. In 2021, aquaculture production increased as the sector started to recover from changes brought on by Covid and leaving the EU in 2020.
Top 5 species by value in 2021
- 1. Atlantic salmon – £1066m (+14%)
- 2. Rainbow trout – £51m (+15%)
- 3. Sea mussels – £12m (+36%)
- 4. Pacific cupped oyster – £10m (+70%)
- 5. Carp – 6m (-0.1%)
Top 5 species by value in 2021
Top 5 species by volume (tonnes) in 2021
- 1. Atlantic salmon – 205,400 (+7%)
- 2. Rainbow trout – 13,500 (+8%)
- 3. Sea mussels – 12,200 (+35%)
- 4. Pacific cupped oyster – 3,000 (+66%)
- 5. Other salmonoids – 600 (+19%)
Top 5 species by volume (tonnes) in 2021
Data notes and sources
Landings
Data Source: Marine Management Organisation.
Reference: MMO monthly landings statistics
https://www.gov.uk/government/
collections/monthly-uk-seafisheries-statistics
Fleet economic performance
Data source: Seafish
Reference: Seafish Fleet Enquiry Tool
https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/
seafish/viz/FleetEnquiryTool/1Overview
Note that 2022 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
https://public.tableau.com/profile/seafish#!/
vizhome/SeafishTradeandTariffTool/
Overview
Note that 2022 trade data is provisional
Processing
Data source: Seafish
Reference: Seafish Processing Enquiry Tool
https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/
seafish/viz/ProcessingEnquiryTool/
2021Overview
Retail data
NielsenIQ ScanTrack data to 52 week ending 31/12/2022; Reference - Monthly Retail Report 52
week ending (w/e) data to 31.12.22; Link to report on MI Portal; Seafish.Org link to retail page and factsheets.
Foodservice data
Circana data to year end December 2022; Reference - 2022 Q4 NPD Data Sheet; Link to report on
MI Portal; Seafish.Org link to foodservice page and factsheets.