The future of Scottish fish processing was in the spotlight at a handover event in Peterhead yesterday.
Industry representatives took delivery of equipment, donated by Seafish and the Scottish Seafood Association (SSA), which is expected to help improve the availability of specialist skills around Scotland.
Besides helping to produce the next generation of fishmongers, fryers and smokers, the handover highlighted the training needs of businesses involved in getting Scotland’s fish and shellfish catch from sea to plate.
A new microkiln allows fish and shellfish smoking courses to be delivered for the first time in Scotland through the Scottish Seafood Training Network (SSTN).
Similar kit used in Grimsby has helped training course participants from as far as Australia to learn proper smoking techniques.
New portable fish filleting benches allow SSTN – a partnership of training providers, employers, the SSA, Seafood Scotland, Seafish and the Seafish-funded Seafood Training Academy (STA) to deliver knife skills and filleting courses wherever they are needed.
SSTN chairman Helen Muir said the equipment would “help us increase the knowledge base of the fish and shellfish industry in Scotland and prepare it for the future.”
STA senior partner Lee Cooper added it would “give us the capacity to run courses in Grampian and also travel to deliver much-needed knife skill courses across the country”.
Meanwhile, accounts from Companies House have highlighted both opportunities and challenges for the seafood industry.
Peterhead-based Lunar Fishing Company said in its report for the 2015 calendar year it was well-placed to take advantage of a buoyant market for pelagic fish.
But it added: “The white-fish sector continues to experience difficulties with quota allocations.”
Lunar – whose activities span fish processing, vessel management and the provision of freezing and cold-storage facilities – reported a sharp fall in pre-tax profits to £9.6million, from £14.5million the year before.
Turnover fell to £4.8million, from £85.9million previously.
The company – owned by Alex Buchan and his family – employed 282 people on average last year, down from 276 in 2014.
Accounts for Peterhead-based fishing service group Caley Investments show it also suffered a large drop in profits last year.
Pre-tax profits came in at £764,294, down from £3.02million in 2014 as turnover fell by more than £600,000 to £18.5million.
“The group continues to face external pressures, it said, adding: “The directors continue to deal with these challenges and will make every effort to maximise profitability.”