Shetland-based fishing boats delivered a bigger catch onto the quayside but total landings on the islands fell in 2021, new figures show.
UHI Shetland, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands, has just published its latest annual Shetland Fisheries Statistics.
The report shows local boats landed 112,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish, worth a total of £110 million, last year – 20% more by volume and 5% higher by value year-on-year.
Offering a detailed breakdown of all fish and shellfish landings in Shetland, the document highlights an analysis of new data from the Scottish and UK governments.
Although the overall quantity of fish and shellfish landed in Shetland was slightly lower than in 2020, much of that decline was due to external factors – such as landings by foreign boats.”
The research was carried out by UHI Shetland senior fisheries policy officer Ian Napier.
Shetland boats caught “substantially more” pelagic fish – mainly blue whiting, mackerel and herring- last year, compared with 2020, the report says.
The local fleet landed slightly less white-fish, including species such as cod, haddock, monkfish and flatfish, but the total value was “slightly higher” year-on-year.
Landings of some white-fish species, such as cod, fell due to quota cuts.
But those for others – UHI Shetland cited monkfish and ling – increased “substantially”.
Despite the bigger landings by local boats, the overall quantity of fish and shellfish “fell slightly” to about 49,000 tonnes – worth £70m.
UHI Shetland said the fall in white-fish landings was almost entirely due to a “substantial” drop in the quantity landed by English and foreign boats, especially those from France.
Fewer visiting vessels
Previously, many more of these would land their catches in Shetland ports before shipping the fish south.
UHI Shetland said landings of white-fish by local and other Scottish boats were only slightly down on 2020.
The quantity of shellfish landed in Shetland, almost all of it by local boats, was “slightly higher” last year, but the total value was “slightly lower”.
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Mr Napier said: “The report provides a detailed picture of landings in Shetland and by Shetland boats in 2021.
“Although the overall quantity of fish and shellfish landed in Shetland was slightly lower than in 2020, much of that decline was due to external factors – such as landings by foreign boats.
“The Shetland fleet increased its landings overall.”
Shetland’s prominent position in the UK fishing industry continued with more fish and shellfish landed in the islands than in any other UK port, except Peterhead.
More fish was landed in Shetland during 2021 than in all of England and Wales, and Lerwick, Scalloway and Cullivoe were all in the top-15 UK ports for white-fish landings.
Shetland UHI said there was “little evidence” the Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on fish landings in Shetland or by local boats – “except perhaps on prices of shellfish”.
Conversation