FISH LANDINGS IN SCOTLAND IN JANUARY 2026

Fish landings in Scotland in January 2026. 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 January 2026. 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 £58.5 million, which was -44% lower than in January 2025. There was a -40% fall in tonnage to 35,218. A very disappointing month, therefore.
3. These totals were worse than the UK totals, which were a -36% fall in value and a -35% fall in tonnage. Scotland accounted for 72% of the UK value and 78% of the tonnage of fish landed.
4. The value per tonne of fish landed in Scotland fell by -8% to £1,660 from £1,774 a year ago. The value was -31% lower than the England average of £2,442 per tonne.
5. Five of the nine Scottish ports/districts recorded increases in value and 4 falls. Four recorded rises in tonnage and 5 declines.
6. The value increases were in Ullapool (+55%), Scrabster (+29%), Kinlochbervie (+26%), Scalloway (+9%) and Kirkcudbright (+8%). The worst declines were in Peterhead (-55%) and Lerwick (-46%). The biggest tonnage increases were in Ullapool (+79%), Kinlochbervie (+51%) and Scrabster (+27%); and the worst declines in Peterhead (-46%) and Lerwick (-37%).

7. MMO have changed the usual list of ports, replacing Cullivoe (in Shetland) with Kirkcudbright.
8. Peterhead is by far the busiest fishing port in the UK. It had a very poor January, with a massive -52% fall in the value to £31.0 million and -46% fall in the tonnage to 20,956. Peterhead accounted for 53% of the total Scottish value of landings and 38% of the UK total, so it had the biggest impact on the overall totals.
9. Lerwick also had a very bad January, with a -46% fall in value and -37% in tonnage. The value of £13.3 million was 23% of the Scottish total and the tonnage of 8,993 26% of the total.
10. Kinlochbervie in Sutherland surprisingly ranked 3rd by value of landings in January, with just under £2 million. That was +26% higher than one year ago. The tonnage was up +51% to 750.
11. Scrabster had the 4 the highest value of £1.9 million which was +29% higher than in January 2025, and the tonnage was +27% higher. That is very good news after the harbour’s big decline last year.
12. Ullapool ranked 5th with just under £1.7 million, which was +55% higher than in the same month of 2025. That was the biggest % increase in the country. Tonnage was up even more at +79%.
13. Fraserburgh ranked 6th by value with just over £1.5 million. That was -6% lower and the harbour’s tonnage was -17% lower.
14. Scalloway and the Isles were 7th , with a +9% rise in the value to just over £1.0 million, although the tonnage was -9% lower.
15. Kirkcudbright in Dumfries-shire was included by the MMO for the first time. Its landings value was £467,000 and tonnage 750.
16. The “Other Scotland” harbours and ports recorded a big -24% fall in value to £5.6 million and – 26% in the tonnage was -26% down. I hope to publish some statistics soon on the various harbours which comprise “Other Scotland” when MMO make those available.
17. There were very big variations in the average value of landings. The Scottish average in January was £1,660, which was -8% lower than in the same month of 2025.
18. 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