FISH LANDINGS IN SCOTLAND IN JULY 2025

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

There were some interesting geographical variation within Scotland, notably:

* a +397% increase in the value of landings in Lerwick and +145% in the tonnage

* Peterhead value down -17% and tonnage down -19%.

1. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) have just published their monthly fish landings statistics for the UK for July 2025. The Scottish ones are set out below. The landings are by all UK
and foreign vessels.
2. Overall, there was a -5% fall in the value of fish landings in Scotland to just over £38 million, compared with July 2024, but a +8% rise in tonnage to 23,195.
3. That was much better the UK totals, which were a big -18% fall in value and a -12% fall in tonnage. Scotland accounted for 62% of the UK value and 74% of the tonnage of fish landed.
4. The value per tonne of fish landed in Scotland fell by -11.6% to £1,649 from £1,865 a year ago. The value was -16% lower than the UK average.
5. Six of the nine Scottish ports/districts recorded increases in value and 3 falls. Six also recorded rises in tonnage and only 3 declines. The biggest value increases were in Lerwick (+145%), Cullivoe (+69%), Ullapool (+41%) and Scalloway (+23%). The declines were in the “Other Scotland” harbours (-24%), Scrabster (-20%) and Peterhead (-17%). The biggest tonnage increases were in
Lerwick (+397%) and Ullapool (+98%); and the declines in Kinlochbervie (-23%) and Peterhead (- 19%).

6. Peterhead is by far the busiest fishing port in the UK, accounting for a massive 30% of the total Scottish value and 19% of the total UK value in July. The tonnage shares were 42% of the Scottish total and 31% of the UK. However, the port had a disappointing July, with -17% fall in the value and -19% in the tonnage. Those falls had big impacts on the Scottish totals.
7. In marked contrast, it was an excellent month for the Shetland fishing industry. Lerwick’s landings were +145% higher in value and the tonnage an incredible +397% ….. 4 times higher than last year! There were also increases in both Scalloway and Cullivoe.
8. Shetland’s total value of £6,592,000 was +207% higher and the tonnage of 5,424 +377% higher. However, I was interested to note that the Shetland value per tonne of £1,215 was -26% lower
than the Scottish average and –38% lower than the UK average.
9. Fraserburgh is the second busiest fishing harbour in Scotland had a good month, with the value of landings +41% higher and the tonnage +28%.
10. Ullapool had an excellent month, with +41% higher value and +98% tonnage.
11. In marked contrast Scrabster’s decline continued, with a big -20% fall in the value of landings, despite a +1% rise and in the tonnage.
12. Kinlochbervie reported a +4% increase in value but a -23% fall in tonnage.
13. The “Other Scotland” harbours and ports reported a -24% fall in value to just over £11.8 million and a –17% fall in tonnage to 3,925. I hope to publish some statistics soon on the various harbours which comprise “Other Scotland” when MMO make those available.
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14. I have added the monthly statistics for the first 6 months of 2025 from January to June.

The overall total values of the fish landings for each port/harbour are:

15. The total value of fish landings in the 6 months January to June was just over £261 million, which
was +6.8% higher than in the same period of 2024.
16. The rankings of the % changes are:

1. Peterhead +23.7%
2. Lerwick +20.9%
3. Ullapool +10.6%
4. Fraserburgh +1.6%
5. Kinlochbervie -7.9%
6. Cullivoe -14.3%
7. Scalloway -15.0%
8. Other Scotland -17.5%
9. Scrabster -39.0%