FISH LANDINGS IN SCOTLAND IN DECEMBER 2025

Fish landings in Scotland in December 2025. A note by Tony Mackay, Economist tony@tonymackay.co.uk

1. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) have just published their monthly fish landings statistics for the UK for December 2025. The Scottish ones are set out below. The landings are by
all UK and foreign vessels.
2. Overall, the value of fish landings in Scotland was £22.3 million, which was -22% lower than in December 2024. There was a -6% fall in tonnage to 9,551. A disappointing month, therefore.
3. These totals were worse than the UK totals, which were a -9% fall in value and a -2% fall in tonnage. Scotland accounted for 55% of the UK value and 62% of the tonnage of fish landed.
4. The value per tonne of fish landed in Scotland fell by a massive -16.5% to £2,331 from £2,790 a year ago. The value was -12% lower than the UK average.
5. Only three of the nine Scottish ports/districts recorded increases in value and 6 falls. Only 4 recorded rises in tonnage and 5 declines.
6. The value increases were in Cullivoe (+27%), Kinlochbervie (+18%) and Scalloway (+8%). The worst declines were in Lerwick (-50%), Ullapool (-36%) and Scrabster (-35%). The biggest tonnage increases were in Kinlochbervie (+45%) and Fraserburgh (+31%); and the worst declines in Ullapool (-51%) and Lerwick (-47%).

7. Peterhead is by far the busiest fishing port in the UK. It had a quiet December, with a -3% fall in the value to £7.2 million and a -1% fall in the tonnage to 3,774.
8. Fraserburgh had the 2nd highest value of landings in December with just under £2 million.  However, there was a huge +31% rise in the tonnage, so the average value of £ per tonne was only
£1,892, which was -15% lower than the Scottish average of £2,311.
9. Scrabster had the 3rd highest value of £1.8 million but that was -28% lower than in December 2024, continuing the harbour’s big decline.
10. Kinlochbervie ranked 4th with landings of £1.7 million, which was +18% higher. The tonnage was up +45%, which was the biggest increase in all the ports/harbours.
11. Lerwick ranked 5th with landings of over £1.3 million but that was a massive -50% lower than in December 2024. Tonnage was down -47%
12. In marked contrast, the two other Shetland harbours of Scalloway and Cullivoe had an excellent month but their landings are tiny compared with Lerwick.
13. Ullapool ranked 6th with £1.1 million but that was -36% lower than in the same month of 2024. Tonnage was down -51%, which was the biggest fall in the country.
14. The “Other Scotland” harbours and ports also recorded a big -34% fall in value to £6.1 million, although the tonnage was only -6% lower. I hope to publish some statistics soon on the various harbours which comprise “Other Scotland” when MMO make those available.
15. There were very big variations in the average value of landings. The Scottish average in December was £2,331, which was a -16.5% lower than in the same month of 2024.
16. The highest averages were in Ullapool (£4,788) and Cullivoe (£3,196) in Shetland. The lowest were in Fraserburgh (£1,892) and Peterhead (£1,911). I don’t know why the Ullapool figure was so high.

Image: ©Fish Focus