Marine fish farming in Scotland: Proprietorial behaviour and the public interest

Abstract

Marine fish farming involves the commercial production of salmon, trout and shellfish. The high quality of the coastal marine environment of northern Scotland has resulted in a geographical concentration of the industry in the region. As a consequence, since the 1960s marine fish farming has created valuable employment and inward investment opportunities with significant social and community spin-offs in a relatively remote area. The rapid growth of the industry has, however, prompted a concern for the immediate and longer-term impacts on the environment. This conflict of interest has drawn attention to the effectiveness of the regulatory framework for marine fish farming. The principal body in this context is the Crown Estate (Scotland), which acts in a proprietorial manner with respect to the development of the industry. This paper examines the nature of the regulatory framework and discusses the extent to which the public interest is taken into account by the Crown Estate Commissioners.