Anne Anderson, regulatory expert and founder of TirMara Advisory, shares her insights and opinions on topical issues.
Scotland has decided on salmon farming – now it needs to deliver
Scotland no longer has a salmon farming debate problem. It has a delivery problem. The science is well established. The legislative framework is largely in place. There is broad agreement that the sector matters, economically and socially, to rural and coastal communities. The direction is not in doubt. Delivery is.
Post-election: Scotland knows what the evidence says — now it must choose how to act
With the election over, Scottish aquaculture enters a phase where the real constraint isn’t knowledge, it’s nerve. Years of scientific monitoring and regulatory review have produced a mature evidence base on fish health, environmental interaction, and site performance. The question facing the next government, its agencies, and regulated sectors is not what the science says, but whether institutions are willing to act on it with confidence and consistency.
Election special: Scotland’s next parliament must ignite a new era for aquaculture
Scotland’s salmon sector appears ready to evolve, yet it remains constrained by legislation built for another era and by legacy behaviours that no longer reflect a modern, collaborative industry.
Election special: rural powerhouse is poised for lift‑off – if we choose to build the future
Scotland stands on the edge of something genuinely significant. For the first time, our rural industries – tourism, aquaculture, food and drink, agriculture, energy, and forestry – are not only being recognised as the beating heart of our economy, but as the foundation for a new era of national prosperity.
Election special: Scotland can protect wild salmon – if we face every pressure with honesty
Scotland’s wild salmon are in crisis, yet the national conversation about why has become increasingly narrow. Salmon farming is often portrayed as the main culprit, but recent scientific assessments and regulatory reviews have reinforced just how complex that picture actually is.
Election special: The Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 – what it signals for Scotland’s next parliamentary term
As Scotland heads toward next week’s election, very few pieces of recent legislation carry the same long term implications as the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026.
Election special: Scotland’s salmon debate is circling the drain – it’s time to leave the old room behind
As the last Scottish Parliament entered its final legislative sprint, the Rural Affairs and Islands (RAI) Committee’s February-March 2026 hearings on salmon farming should have signalled a fresh start. Instead, they felt uncomfortably familiar, a rerun of conversations Scotland has now been having for nearly a decade.
Starting Monday 27 April 2026: Scottish Parliament election special
Exploring why some of Scotland’s most contested debates remain unresolved despite extensive evidence and policy intent – and how a new government could help break the deadlock.