News / Fewer fish, higher value
FISH with an overall value of £91 million was landed in Shetland during 2011, making the isles the second most important port for fish landings in Scotland.
Analysis released by Dr Ian Napier of the NAFC Marine Centre, in Scalloway, shows that the volume of landing dropped by 20 per cent to 71,000 tonnes while its value rose by 13 per cent.
Economically most important was mackerel with an overall value of more than £56 million for the 43,000 tonnes landed in 2011.
Whitefish landings (13,500 tonnes) were worth £24.7 million, an increase in value of eight per cent. The most important whitefish species continue to be monkfish and cod, with values of £6.2 million and £5.7 million respectively.
Dr Napier said that compared with other fish markets in Scotland, Shetland offered better prices.
“The overall average market price of whitefish landed in Shetland in 2011 was £1.83/kg, compared with £1.49/kg in Peterhead and £1.68/kg for the whole of Scotland.
“The average market price in Shetland in 2011 was 12 per cent higher than in 2010, compared with 9 per cent in Peterhead and 7 per cent for the whole of Scotland.”
He added: “Excluding shellfish, more fish was landed in Shetland in 2011 than in all of England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined.”
Meanwhile, the weight and value of shellfish landings were both down considerably, by 12 per cent and 21 per cent respectively, primarily owing to the decline in the number of scallops landed.
Dr Napier added: “Official statistics for fish landings in Shetland in 2012 will not be available until September 2013.
“However, preliminary data (from Shetland Seafood Auctions) indicates that the total weight of whitefish sold through Shetland fish markets in the first eight months of 2012 was slightly (2 per cent) less than in the same period of 2011, but that there was a larger (14 per cent) decline in their value.
“If these trends continue until the end of the year it suggests that 2012 may see reductions in the weight and value of whitefish landed in Shetland.”
During 2011, Shetland had 433 fishermen, 236 full-time and 197 employed on a part-time basis.
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