- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether aquaculture remains one of the world’s fastest growing industries and how growth in Scotland’s aquaculture industry compares to (a) the global average, (b) growth in Norway and (c) growth in Chile in the past 5 years.
Answer
Between 1999 and 2004, the Scottishaquaculture industry, measured by production of Atlantic Salmon (tonnes), grew by24%. This is compared to; (a) global average growth rate of 53%; (b) Norwegian growthof 31%, and (c) Chilean growth of 239%; over the same period.
The growth rates (a) to (c) arecalculated using estimated market supply in 2004.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the United Kingdom has become a net importer of salmon.
Answer
In 2005, the UK exported£160,429,000 worth of salmon and salmon products and imported £150,730,000 worth.This means that the UK was a net exporter by approximately £10 million.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of salmon production was deemed by the European Commission in its investigation into illegal dumping to be outwith the European Community Industry as defined in the basic Regulation.
Answer
The European Commission anti-dumpinginvestigation estimated that production by the communityindustry, as defined in the basic Regulation, totalled 22,000 tonnes during theinvestigation period. This means that, in 2004, about 87% of salmon production inthe EU was undertaken by companies that fell outwith this definition.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the percentage of salmon production in Norway that can be controlled by one group and how this figure compares with that in Scotland.
Answer
This information is not heldcentrally. However, all businesses operating in the UK are subjectto competition rules and may be considered by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) orthe European Commission (EC) competition authorities. Even if consideration of proposedcompany mergers falls to the EC, the OFT would still have to consider whether criteriafor referral back to the UK competition authorities are met.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of senior positions in the Scottish farmed salmon industry have been transferred to Norway in the last five years.
Answer
This information is not heldcentrally.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the percentage of Norwegian-owned fish farms in Scotland which were originally set up by Scottish or UK companies.
Answer
This information is not heldcentrally.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has noted the Pan Fish announcement regarding site enlargements and closures in Scotland and what its views are on these matters.
Answer
The Executive is aware that PanFish has plans to rationalise operations in Scotland.
Ministers have invited the companyto meet and discuss their future plans for Scottish operations and how the publicsector (including Highlands and Islands Enterprise) might help to ensure continuedsuccess. The meeting is scheduled to take place in May 2006.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many experienced and qualified people have left the Scottish farmed salmon industry in the last five years and how many have sought employment abroad.
Answer
This information is not heldcentrally.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scotland’s leading position in aquacultural intellectual property, science and technology can be maintained in the absence of a strong indigenous production industry.
Answer
The Executivesupports both indigenous and multi-national businesses which operate in Scotland and has developed a Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture to deliver a sustainable, diverse andinternational competitive industry.
In addition whenthe EU salmon market failed the Executive took appropriate steps under EU tradelaw and have successfully secured anti-dumping measures to provide marketstability over the five year timescale of the measures.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact Norwegian takeovers of the Scottish farmed salmon industry have had on career opportunities and whether it considers these to have impacted on the “brain drain” from Scotland, in particular from the Highlands and Islands.
Answer
This information is not heldcentrally, however, the Scottish academic system and theindustry continue to turn out highly skilled personnel who are well resourcedto be competitive in the Scottish, UK, European and international job markets.
