Salmon Scotland, the representative body for the nation's salmon aquaculture sector, has urged the Scottish government to reform industry regulations in response to the UK government's recent growth plans.

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UK chancellor Rachel Reeves is speaking to the country's largest regulation bodies on Jan. 14, telling them to embrace risk and strip back various rules that are believed to be stifling economic growth, reports the Times.

In response, Tavish Scott, CEO of Salmon Scotland, has said the sector "supports better regulation, not less."

"Red tape is holding businesses back. More jobs, investment and innovation fuel growth and boost tax revenue," he added. "Scotland lags behind the UK in GDP growth with rural and coastal areas hit hardest; the Chancellor's approach should be mirrored in Scotland."

The Scottish salmon sector, he believes, can play a key role in recovering the country's GDP "from the long-term impacts of Covid and Brexit." Scotland's GDP grew only 0.1% in Q3 of last year, down from 0.5% the previous quarter.

"Salmon farming could deliver £1 billion to the UK economy in just a few years, benefiting local communities," Scott added. "We have the ambition to grow, but ministers must urgently reform the outdated regulatory framework holding back salmon farmers."