Scottish salmon farmers welcome third runway plan for Heathrow

Scotland’s salmon farmers have welcomed the UK Government’s confirmation today that it supports plans for a third runway at Heathrow.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves made the announcement during a major speech on economic growth. She said the runway was badly needed and could create 100,000 jobs.

“According to the most recent study, from Frontier Economics, a third runway could increase potential GDP (gross domestic product) by 0.43% by 2050,” said Reeves. “Over half – 60% of that boost – would go to areas outside of London and the south-east, including increasing trade opportunities for products like Scotch whisky and Scottish salmon, already two of the biggest British exports out of Heathrow.”

No.1 food export

Commenting on Reeves’ speech, Tavish Scott, chief executive of sector trade body Salmon Scotland, said: “The Chancellor is right to highlight the role that Heathrow plays in supporting British business. Scottish salmon is the UK’s number one food export and is the airport’s single biggest export by volume.

“Scottish business has long pressed for a third runway at Heathrow so we welcome this announcement and any measures that will support the sustainable economic growth of the Scottish and UK economy.”

Scottish salmon is typically carried in the hold of scheduled passenger flights travelling to international destinations, particularly to markets in the Middle East and Asia, making it a carbon efficient mode of transport for exports to the rest of the world. In Norway, the world’s largest producer of salmon, the country’s much bigger export volumes mean that fish is flown abroad on salmon cargo flights.

Sustainable fuel

The Association of British Travel Agents has welcomed the announcement about Heathrow’s third runway but also called for government to give financial and policy support to help develop solutions meet environmental goals.

These include developing a domestic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry. SAF can be produced from non-petroleum-based renewable feedstocks including, but not limited to, the food and yard waste portion of municipal solid waste, woody biomass, fats/greases/oils, and other feedstocks.

Salmon produced by Faroese and Scotland fish farmer Bakkafrost was among the cargo carried in November 2023 when Virgin Atlantic’s “Flight100” - the world’s first 100% SAF flight across the Atlantic by a commercial airline – was made from Heathrow to New York.

Because SAF is made from waste products, it can deliver CO₂ lifecycle emissions savings of up to 70%, while performing like the traditional jet fuel it replaces.

2030 target

The previous UK government announced that by 2030, 10% of all jet fuel used in flights taking off from the UK must be sustainable as a way to reduce the impact of aviation on emissions. This target has been kept by the current Labour government and it is increasing funding into sustainable fuels.

Nonetheless, sustainable fuels currently make up just a tiny fraction of jet fuel, which a target of 2% for this year.