Salmon is UK's biggest seafood export

Data from BTS and HM Customs & Revenue, obtained by Seafish in their 2008 trade summary, shows that a total of 780,600 tonnes of seafood worth £2.2 billion was imported into the UK last year. Over the same period 414,900 tonnes of seafood worth £1.0 billion was exported from Britain.

The main importers of salmon to the British Isles were Norway and the USA, according to the Seafish report. In 2008, 69,522 tonnes of salmon was imported to the UK – this is a 2 per cent decrease compared to 2007. However the import value grew by 8 per cent to £228,628000. Salmon is the third biggest seafood import to Britain, after cod and tuna.

The main export markets for the UK last year were the Netherlands, France, Russia, Spain and the Irish Republic, which between them accounted for 65 per cent of the seafood exported from the UK. Mixed seafood for processing was the main export to the Netherlands and the Irish Republic.

Salmon led the British seafood export table. Last year, 59,807 tonnes of salmon was exported, which is a 4 per cent decrease compared to 2007. The salmon export, however, had a value of £221,482000 – which was an increase of 9 per cent compared to last year.