© Salmon Scotland
New figures released by trade body Salmon Scotland highlight the dramatic fall, which follows more than £1 billion of investment in innovation across veterinary care, technology and stock management.
While protecting the health of fish sometimes requires extra care – including, in a few cases, the use of antibiotics to treat bacterial challenges – these medicines are only used when qualified veterinarians deem them necessary for specific infections. Treatment is applied only when there is clear evidence that it will improve fish health. All antibiotics are used under a licence from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and the Scottish environmental regulator, SEPA.
Record reduction in antibiotic use
Figures published by Salmon Scotland show usage fell to just 5.1mg per kilo in 2024, a 79 percent reduction from 24.8mg per kilo in 2023. This is the lowest level on record, down from 16.1mg per kilo in 2017, when the sector first began publishing antibiotic use data.
“This is a major milestone for Scottish salmon farmers. Antibiotic use has fallen to the lowest level we have ever recorded. Like any medicine, antibiotics are used responsibly and only when absolutely necessary in the health and welfare interests of our fish,” said Dr Iain Berrill, head of technical at trade body Salmon Scotland, in a press release.
In 2024, only eight percent of all salmon farms required antibiotic treatment. Specifically, 7.1 percent of seawater farms and 10.6 percent of freshwater farms used antibiotics, meaning the vast majority of farms used none at all.
Scottish salmon farmers continue to publish antibiotic use data covering 100 percent of the sector. The salmon industry does not use any antibiotics identified as a high priority for human health, and there is no trace of antibiotics in the food chain, meaning consumers can enjoy fresh Scottish salmon with confidence.
Improved fish health and survival rates in 2024
These figures come after separate data showing that monthly survival averaged 99.12 percent between January and June, marking the best start to a year since this information was first voluntarily published in 2018. Cumulative mortality – the total number of fish deaths over time – fell by more than a third in 2024. Overall survival across all farms reached 82.3 percent, up 10 percentage points from 72.3 percent the previous year.
“We continue to work to reduce use as low as possible while ensuring our fish stay healthy, giving consumers full confidence in Scottish salmon. These figures also reflect the improvements in fish health and survival across the sector, showing the results of sustained investment in veterinary care, technology and stock management,” concluded Berrill.
