Scottish salmon farmers cut antibiotic use to record low.
Scottish salmon farmers have reduced antibiotic use to the lowest level on record, according to new figures published by trade body Salmon Scotland.
Usage fell to 5.1mg per kilo in 2024, down 79 per cent from 24.8mg per kilo the previous year. The sector first began publishing antibiotic data in 2017, when usage stood at 16.1mg per kilo.
Only eight per cent of farms required antibiotic treatment in 2024, including 7.1 per cent of seawater sites and 10.6 per cent of freshwater sites. The industry emphasises that antibiotics are prescribed only by qualified veterinarians, used under licence from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), and none of the medicines employed are classified as high priority for human health.
The decline follows more than £1 billion of investment in fish health initiatives, covering veterinary care, technology and stock management. The figures are published annually and cover 100 per cent of the sector.
The new data also point to improved survival rates. Monthly survival averaged 99.12 per cent between January and June, the best first half of the year since the sector began publishing figures in 2018. Cumulative mortality fell by more than a third in 2024, with overall survival reaching 82.3 per cent, up from 72.3 per cent the year before.
Scottish salmon is the UK’s most valuable food export, generating £760 million for the economy and supporting 12,500 jobs. International sales reached more than £840 million in 2023, while domestic sales totalled £1.5 billion.
“This is a major milestone for Scottish salmon farmers. Antibiotic use has fallen to the lowest level we have ever recorded,” said Dr Iain Berrill, head of technical at Salmon Scotland. “Like any medicine, antibiotics are used responsibly and only when absolutely necessary in the health and welfare interests of our fish. These figures also reflect the improvements in fish health and survival across the sector, showing the results of sustained investment.”
Data is submitted annually to the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) and to the VMD. The 2024 figure is based on an estimated production of 185,207 tonnes, with final production numbers due from the Marine Directorate in October 2025.
