Economic Impacts of Fish Processing

In Scotland, from 2013 to 2017 the Gross Value Added for seafood processing decreased by 4% to £392 million, whilst employment increased by 8% to 7,700 in 2017 (Moffat et al, 2020). 

Of the 318 fishery product establishments in Scotland, 33 are located within the Aberdeen City local authority area and 61 are located within the Aberdeenshire local authority area. 'Fishery product establishments' covers: establishments working with fishery products using factory and freezing vessels, processing plants, fresh fishery products, auction halls, wholesale markets. 30 of the Aberdeen City establishments and 52 of the Aberdeenshire establishments are fish processing plants specifically (Moffat et al, 2020). The majority of fish processing sites in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire focus on white fish, with smaller numbers processing shellfish, pelagic fish, or salmon (NESFLAG, 2020).

Fish processing provides employment in remote and rural communities such as those in Aberdeenshire. 2018 total employment (in terms of full time equivalent (FTE) workers) at majority seafood processing sites in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire local authority areas was 4327 in 2018. This is an increase of 11% from 2014. The total FTE employment in Scotland in 2018 was 8900. 

So, it is clear that fish processing in Scotland is concentrated across Grampian (i.e. Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire local authority areas), making up around 30% of all registered fish processing plants and providing around 49% of the employment in the sector (Moffat et al, 2020).