Peterhead fish market has set a new record for the number of boxes it handles in a week for a second successive month.
A total of 35,208 boxes of mixed species came through the Merchant’s Quay facility this week, beating the previous best of 31,721 set in October.
“We are absolutely delight with the continued hard work carried out by the fishing fleet and our market staff,” Peterhead Port Authority chief executive Ian Laidlaw said yesterday.
He added: “This week we have achieved one market of over 6,000 boxes and four in excess of 7,000 boxes.
“Yesterday was the largest market of the week at 7,405 boxes.
“Thankfully, demand has been good and prices have stayed buoyant throughout the week.
“If markets remain buoyant in the run up to the Christmas break, we will be on target to be more than 120,000 boxes, or 12% ahead of last year’s annual total.”
This week’s high daily figures follow a strong pattern in the record-breaking week in October, when five consecutive markets had more than 5,500 boxes.
The port’s record for a single market currently stands at 7,769 boxes, which was achieved on July 11 2016.
A £50million upgrade of facilities at Peterhead harbour moved a big step forward in September, with port bosses announcing a £30million-plus contract for the project.
The overall development is expected to reinforce the Blue Toon’s position as Europe’s premier white-fish port, helping the harbour to eventually support more than 9,500 direct and indirect jobs and generate in excess of £800million a year for the Scottish economy.
Part-funded by EU cash, the project will deepen Peterhead’s inner harbours and create a new fish market – allowing an already booming port to attract even bigger boats and handle up to 9,000 boxes of fish every day.
The existing market was officially opened by the Princess Royal in August 2001.
Peterhead accounted for 32% of the value of total Scottish landings last year, with fish worth nearly £124million traded through the market.