THE value of fish landings is at a record high, having increased by 19 per cent to £513 million in 2014 according to latest statistics published by the Scottish Government today.
The volume of landings has also increased over the last year by 31 per cent to 480,400 tonnes.
Mackerel continues to be the most valuable stock, accounting for £195 million of Scottish landings.
Commenting on the latest Scottish fish landing statistics, Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said:
“The fishing industry is very important to Scotland’s economy and contributes over £500 million in revenues a year. It is encouraging to see that the value of the Scottish catch is at a record high and the volume of fish landed has increased by over 30 per cent.
“Mackerel was once again our most valuable stock, accounting for over a third of the overall total in landings, underlining how important this stock is to Scotland.
“The value of whitefish landings – led by cod, haddock and monkfish – now accounts for £143 million to the industry, this comes despite a decrease in the volume of landings.
“These figures bring confidence for the future and I’m hopeful that we can see revenues grow further, adding to fishermen’s bottom line and creating further good quality jobs.
“However we know there is more to do, which is why the Scottish Government will continue to promote Scotland’s priorities on the international stage and work hard to get the best deal possible for our fishermen and the fishing community.”
