FISH LANDINGS IN SCOTLAND IN MAY 2025

Fish Landings in Scotland in May 2025

A note by Tony Mackay, Economist

tony@tonymackay.co.uk

1. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) have published their monthly fish landings statistics for the UK for May 2025. The Scottish ones are set out below. The landings are by all UK and foreign vessels.

2. Overall, there was a big -14% fall in the value of fish landings in Scotland to just over £27 million, compared with May 2024, and a -12% fall in tonnage to 11,452.

3. That is similar with the UK totals, which were a -13% decline in value and a -15% fall in tonnage. Scotland accounted for 56% of the UK value and 61% of the tonnage of fish landed.

4. The value per tonne of fish landed in Scotland fell by -1.7% to £2,361 from £2,403 a year ago. The value was -7% lower than the UK average.

5. Five of the nine Scottish ports/districts recorded falls in value and 4 increases. Six also recorded falls in tonnage and only 3 increases. The value increases were in Ullapool (+73%), Fraserburgh (+29%), Lerwick (+24%) and Peterhead (+10%).  The biggest declines were in Scrabster (-62%) and the “Other Scotland” harbours (-42%).  The biggest tonnage increases were also in Ullapool (+86%) and Cullivoe (+26%); and the biggest decline in Scrabster (-51%).

6. Peterhead is by far the busiest fishing port in the UK, accounting for a massive 34% of the total Scottish value and 19% of the total UK value in May.  The tonnage shares were 40% of the Scottish total and 22% of the UK. The port had a +10% rise in the May value, despite a -11% fall in the tonnage.

7. Lerwick was the second highest value port and had a good May, with a +24% increase in the value of landings to just over £3 million. That was 11% of the Scottish total.

8. I have written before that Lerwick seems to be benefiting from declines in fish landings elsewhere in the Shetland Islands, specifically in Cullivoe and Scalloway.

9. Ullapool had an excellent month, with a huge +73% increase in the value of landings and +86% in tonnage. I have also written before that Ullapool seems to be benefiting from a decline in fishing activity in Kinlochbervie, which is located a little further north in Sutherland.

10. Scrabster’s decline continued, with a massive -62% fall in the value of landings and -51% in tonnage.

I hope to publish some statistics soon on the various harbours which comprise “Other Scotland” when MMO make those available.