Worker Job Numbers Worldwide - Marine Harvest Handbook 2016, Updated Aug 15, 2017

Let me give you an example of how the industry vastly over estimates its number of jobs. This allows it to claim to governments that it is about 'jobs and revenue' for the country, which it is not. On the contrary, companies work solely for their shareholders. The following handbook says that salary costs are low because most production is automated.

First: From Marine Harvest's Handbook 2016, industry estimates: http://www.marineharvest.com/globalassets/investors/handbook/2016-salmon-industry-handbook-final.pdf, its figures:

Norway: According to Nofima there were over 9,600 full time employees in the aquaculture industry in Norway in 2013. The employment effect of derived activities of aquaculture purchases are nearly 15,000 employees. In total there

are over 24,000 full time employees either directly or indirectly as a result of the aquaculture industry in Norway.

Scotland: According to Scotland Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO), over 2,500 people are employed in salmon production in Scotland. The Scottish Government estimates that over 8,000 jobs are generated directly or indirectly by the aquaculture industry.

Canada: Estimates on Canadian employment say that around 15,000 people are employed in aquaculture, where 6,000 are based in British Colombia.

Chile: Direct employment in aquaculture (incl. processing) is estimated to around 30,000 people in 2014. 

The Marine Harvest Group has a total of 12,454 employees in 23 countries worldwide (31 Dec2015).

In Norway, both salaries and levels of automation are highest, while the opposite is the case in Chile. Salaries in UK and Canada are somewhat lower

than in Norway.

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Second: Now the BC stats figures, the only good stats in Canada: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/02/sport-fishing-how-we-tack-up-feb-6-2013.html.

BC Stats puts full, multiplier job figures for all of aquaculture, not simply fish farms at 1,700, or only 28.3% of what Marine Harvest claims.

I went out and found the actual number of employees at fish farms in BC. It is 820 jobs, or only 13.7% of what Marine Harvest claims.

So, if you want to know what the real number of employees in any country is, just multiply the Marine Harvest figures by .137, or roughly one in ten.

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Third: Also from the MH Handbook, p39:

"Salary: Salary level differs among the production regions but in general the salary cost is low because labour cost is a minor part of the total cost as much of the production is automated."

So, Marine Harvest has said it employs few people because so much of the production is automated. People are not needed in fish farming, brought to you by Marine Harvest. Hmm. Just as I thought.

Fourth: The actual number of Scotland jobs is 1256, less than half of the claimed figure. And only 25%, or 1 in 4, of the total figure. See:  "The salmon farms are highly automated and according to the Scottish government’s 2015 fish farm production survey, total full-time employment in marine salmon farms amounts to a mere 1,256 jobs in an economically active population of 3.5m. It is less than 1 per cent of those employed by the NHS [Natonal Health Service] in Scotland." See: https://www.ft.com/content/8b73e21a-7cf8-11e7-ab01-a13271d1ee9c."