Impact of fish farming merger - summary report - February 2007

Salmon farming plays a crucial role in the economy of many remote communities around the Highlands and Islands.

With the prospect of the two largest producers in Scotland coming under one owner, Pan Fish, in March 2006, HIE commissioned EKOS Ltd to analyse the current economic impact of Marine Harvest International, Pan Fish and Fjord activities in the Highlands and Islands and to develop a range of outcome scenarios most likely as a result of the prospective merger of the three business entities.

As will be seen in the downloadable executive summary here, the examination by the UK Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission of the proposed acquisition of Marine Harvest by Pan Fish unfortunately curtailed the amount of information these companies felt able to provide to EKOS.

It is important to appreciate that the scenarios offered by EKOS are hypothetical and simply represent a set of potential outcomes. They do not reflect any stated intention of any of the above businesses.

Further information from Iain Sutherland