Number of direct jobs: 40 full time and 17 part time. Total 48.5 full time equivalents
Estimated indirect jobs*: 227
(* Indirect employment effect multiplier of 4.6801 used (source The Scottish Office 1995)
Aquaculture is well-developed and is a major contributor to employment and the local economy. The industry has developed through the pilot stage and is now well established, despite the generally low grade infrastructure which may historically have slowed growth. Many of the prime sites in the loch are operated by large companies which have farms at other locations with the majority of the smaller scale shellfish farms managed by local residents.
Aquaculture is an important source of employment in Torridon with about 40 people employed full time and another 15-20 part time. Leases exist for salmon, mussel and oyster farming with a total of 17 sites identified in June 1998. There are 7 active salmon farm sites in the loch with the majority farming only salmon in sea cages. Farms owned by the larger companies were not prepared to fully co-operate with the study due to company policy. Consented totals for salmon production in the loch is about 5,499 tonnes, produced from 142 cages with a volume of 294,304 cubic metres (SEPA 1999 pers com), although much less than this is produced, estimated to be around 2,500 tonnes.
Employment from aquaculture appears to have stabilised after changes to husbandry methods with overall higher levels of work and almost constant production. The highly infectious disease ISA is causing the industry concern at present although other diseases have largely been controlled, either through improved husbandry or chemical treatments. Salmon farmers operate a local management agreement which allows for synchronisation of treatments for disease control and fallowing on sites within the loch system.
There are a number of small shellfish farms, producing mostly mussels. These farms are worked on a part time basis and employment figures have not been substantiated and are estimated to be 6 part time seasonal. These figures have not been added to the total for the loch.
The fishery audit recognises the significant contribution to employment from aquaculture in the study area and the need for continued vigilance to prevent further spread of disease and to contain the potentially harmful environmental consequences of intensive farming. The audit concludes that in the context of Loch Torridon the industry is in a stable phase and further expansion is unlikely.
