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LERWICK FISH LANDINGS IMPACTED BY PANDEMIC
Lerwick fish landings impacted by pandemic. The latest traffic statistics from Lerwick Port Authority for the first quarter of 2021 show the continuing severe effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
For fishing, there was an 11% decrease in fishing boats visiting. There were 45,232 boxes of whitefish landed at Lerwick fish market, down 7%. In the pelagic sector, mackerel throughput fell 18%.
Captain Calum Grains, Port Authority Chief Executive, said:
“Whitefish landings have been showing signs of recovery and port-Brexit movement of seafood exports through the EU is slowly improving. The offshore decommissioning market is promising and support for the renewable energy sector continues to increase.”
He added:
“Having hopefully weathered the worst of the pandemic and with the success of the vaccine programme and easing of restrictions, we are working towards better times ahead. The coming months should bring slight improvements in activity on the long haul to recovery.”
Lerwick Harbour, strategically located at the heart of Europe’s richest fishing grounds, is one of Britain’s main centres for the landing, selling, processing and shipment of seafood and for the servicing of vessels.
Around 2,300 fishing vessels, including a modern local fleet, use the port annually with landings of over 38,000 tonnes of pelagic fish, white fish and shellfish valued at over £42 million. Lerwick has a well-deserved reputation for product quality and proximity to the fishing grounds, all contribute to attracting fishing boats to land in Shetland.
