Review identifies 268 publicly supported salmon innovation projects since 2018.
Innovation activity in Scotland’s salmon farming sector has reached almost £200 million in publicly supported project value since 2018, according to an independent review commissioned by Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre and Salmon Scotland.
The review, conducted by research consultancy Frontline, identified 268 projects with a combined value of more than £183 million delivered by salmon producers, supply chain companies, universities and public funders working in partnership. The figure excludes projects funded entirely by companies, suggesting total investment in new technology is higher.
More than £83 million of publicly supported funding has been directed towards fish health and welfare, including work on vaccines, diagnostics, welfare tools and disease prevention. Additional investment has targeted sea lice management, including biological controls, new treatment technologies and AI-enabled detection systems.
The review concludes that innovation activity has broadened across all major areas of salmon farming, with genetics and breeding programmes also advancing. One of the largest initiatives highlighted is the £8.5 million BBSRC-funded Drivers of Salmon Robustness programme, delivered with Mowi Scotland and the Roslin Institute, which aims to breed salmon more resilient to farming challenges.
Across companies interviewed, 88 percent said employment would have been lower without innovation activity, while 76 percent reported turnover would also have been reduced. Much of the work has involved collaboration between producers and Scotland’s universities, spanning faster disease detection, improved breeding strategies and enhanced environmental monitoring.
The review warns that short-term funding cycles and lengthy regulatory processes can slow the testing and adoption of new technologies, and calls for longer-term support and faster routes to trials.
Among projects cited is WellFish Tech, a University of the West of Scotland spin-out providing rapid, AI-driven blood diagnostics with results returned within 24 hours to support salmon health and welfare monitoring.
The Scottish Government said the findings demonstrate the impact of long-term public investment in aquaculture innovation. The sector is also expected to benefit from a £17 million national aquaculture technology hub due to open this year at the University of Stirling.
Salmon Scotland said continued investment in research and innovation will be central to maintaining standards, strengthening performance and building long-term resilience across the industry.