Scrabster sees reduction in fish landing revenues
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Revenues from fishing at Scrabster harbour remain in line with expectations, despite a significant drop caused by "several interlinked factors".
The port saw a 57 per cent reduction in the value of landings between November 2022 and November 2023, down from £4,905,000 to £2,114,000. This was the biggest decline in value among any of the main Scottish fishing ports.
Over the same period, Scrabster had a 38 per cent drop in fish tonnage, down from 2039 in November 2022 to 1259 in November this year.
The statistics are contained in the latest monthly update from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
Trust manager Sandy Mackie said: “Scrabster fishing activity was ahead of the previous year in the period April to August 2023. The November position continues a trend since September with activity well below the previous year. Fishing vessel arrivals and the numbers of boxes landed show a small decline, but values and weight landed are markedly lower.
"There are several interlinked factors underpinning the position: weather, available quota, and the sale of some vessels that previously landed regularly at the port.
"In our business planning the trust had anticipated some reduction in activity compared with 2022. Overall, for the financial year to date, the activity and associated revenues are in line with budget forecast.”
Highland economist Tony Mackay said: "The fishing industry is going through a difficult time because of a decline in fish consumption in the UK and international issues regarding fish quotas.
"However, the falls in fish landings in Scrabster in the last three months have been the worst of all the harbours and ports in Scotland, which is very worrying.
"I understand that one of the reasons for that is that two important local fishing boats have been sold."
Overall, the MMO noted a two per cent fall in the value of landings in Scotland compared with November 2022 but a 15 per cent increase in tonnage. That was slightly better than the UK totals, which were a seven per cent drop in value and a 14 per cent rise in tonnage.
Scotland accounted for 74.7 per cent of the UK value and 78.9 per cent of the tonnage of fish landed.
Among the Scottish ports and districts, value increases were reported in Cullivoe, Shetland (56 per cent), Lerwick (29 per cent), Kinlochbervie (17 per cent) and Peterhead (15 per cent). Among the ports showing a decline were Scrabster (-57 per cent), Ullapool (-42 per cent) and Fraserburgh (-36 per cent).
The biggest tonnage increases were at Cullivoe (139 per cent), Kinlochbervie (64 per cent) and Lerwick (32 per cent). Falls were reported at Scrabster (-38 per cent), Ullapool (-21 per cent) and Fraserburgh (-10 per cent).
