Scotland’s fishing fleet smallest on record

SCOTLAND now has the smallest fishing fleet ever recorded, according to a new government report.

Last year, the number of active vessels in the fleet fell from 2,443 to 2,150 and the Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics report reveals that the value of Scottish landings also fell last year for the first time in a decade.

The report says the number of vessels in the white fish, shellfish and pelagic – open waters – sectors has fallen by 16 per cent over the past decade, because of a series of decommissioning schemes and a new “licensing parking scheme” that was introduced to allow multiple catching licences to be allocated to a single fishing vessel while other boats remain tied up in port.

The number of fishermen employed on Scottish boats fell by 4 per cent last year to 5,218.

The report states: “There are currently 1,485 10-metre-and-under vessels, over two thirds of the Scottish fleet. Over half of the Scottish fleet are known to be at least 20 years old.”

In 2010, the total value of landings by Scottish vessels fell for the first time since 2001. A total of 367,000 tonnes of fish – with a value of £435 million – were landed by Scottish vessels, a decrease of 3 per cent.

The report states: “The decrease in the total value was primarily due to a drop in the value of pelagic landings. Pelagic species made up 30 per cent of the total by value and 51 per cent by volume, with a total value of £129m. This represents a decrease in value of 17 per cent in real terms since 2009.

“The decrease in the value of pelagic landings reflects an 11 per cent decrease in the volume of mackerel landings, due to a decrease in quota. Mackerel remained the most valuable species to the Scottish fleet at £113m.”

The value of shellfish landings increased by 4 per cent during the year to £154m.

Richard Lochhead, Scotland’s fisheries minister, said yesterday: “It’s heartening that value of landings remains high.”