Fish Farmer January 2026

Happy New Year!

As another year in aquaculture kicks off, politicians are making their presence felt in Scotland and Iceland.

In Scotland, two reports looking into the economic impacts of Scotland’s salmon farming industry offered contrasting conclusions. Sandy Neil explores the findings from both.

Meanwhile, Iceland’s star may be on the rise, but, with the Icelandic government having signalled the direction it wants the industry to take, Vince McDonagh asks how Iceland’s politics are affecting its prospects for fish farming.

And something big is happening in Norwegian aquaculture. Benedikte Ranum looks at why the Norwegian government is promoting closed containment now, and the potential impact these new structures could have on the entire fish farming sector.

Elsewhere in the magazine, Vince McDonagh asks why Spanish consumers are eating less seafood – but can’t seem to get enough of the pink fish – and he talks to researchers at the University of Exeter to find out if the development of British, land-based king prawn farms could signal the start of a seafood revolution.

On the international front, we hear about two case studies showing cutting-edge tilapia farming in Egypt and the Middle East.

And columnist Nicki Holmyard explains why the new UK Coastal Growth Fund has failed to impress the fishing and aquaculture industries in Scotland, and why low trophic aquaculture should be prioritised in the EU budget.

We hope you enjoy reading this month’s issue, and wish you a safe and successful 2026