UK consumers have a growing appetite for Scottish seafood and any efforts to encourage this trend can only help the industry after Brexit, Seafish boss Marcus Coleman said yesterday.
Speaking after a fully-booked market insight seminar hosted by trade body Seafish in Aberdeen, Mr Coleman said new data for the retail and food-service sectors was “positive news” for the UK’s £6.3billion and growing seafood industry.
According to market researcher Nielsen, seafood sales in the UK last year were worth a total of £3.11billion.
Outlining some of the latest trends at the seminar, Nielsen representatives Lena Kahn and Rosie Tapping said the market was back in growth mode after a slowdown in the recession.
And Seafish marketing manager Heather Middleton highlighted progress in her mission to get people to eat more fish and seafood more often.
Mr Coleman, who joined Seafish as chief executive in January last year, said: “It’s a very positive message we’ve heard today.
“Whether you are looking at food-service or retailing, there seems to have been a recovery in the UK market after some years of decline.
“Both sectors appear to have turned a corner and are now showing positive growth.”
UK consumers are increasingly willing to try new kinds of seafood, other than their traditional favourites, he said.
Inevitably, the potential impact of Brexit cropped up during the seminar.
Mr Coleman said the price sensitivity of fish and seafood sales seen in the recession left the UK market vulnerable to any further downturn caused by economic uncertainty.
A large part of Scotland’s fish and seafood haul ends up being shipped overseas, much of it to mainland Europe, and this too creates major concerns for trade.
Mr Coleman said access to the single market, free movement of labour and the potential “burden” of different food regulations either side of the English Channel were all challenges facing the industry as the UK moves to quit the EU.
Funding is another key Brexit issue, with Brussels currently providing substantial support to fishing communities through the European Maritime Fisheries Fund.
“It is important the industry to articulates its concerns and understand the impacts,” Mr Coleman said, adding that further growth in the UK market would help whatever happens.
“Today’s turnout shows there is willingness and a sense of people wanting to work together as an industry. We need to build on this momentum.”
Nielsen’s figures showed salmon was the star performer as fresh stole a march on chilled and ambient fish and seafood sales in the UK last year. Fresh warm water prawns, cod and haddock also did well.
Peterhead-based skipper Jimmy Buchan, star of the BBC’s Trawlermen series, was interested to hear how Aldi was best among supermarkets for fish and seafood sales growth last year.
Distribution is the key to success, Mr Buchan said, adding: “If it is front of their faces, people will buy it.”
