Fishing vessel economics

FISHING vessel owners and skippers in Shetland are being encouraged to take part in an annual economic survey of the UK’s fishing fleet.

Representatives from industry body Seafish will be in the isles over the next week to collect data on topics like vessel costs.

The results of the research, which will be published in 2017, aim to better inform policymakers on the “socio-economic consequences of changes in fisheries management measures and the wider financial climate”.

Seafish said the latest survey is “especially crucial” following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union in June.

Steve Lawrence, economics project manager, said that Shetland vessels taking part in the survey is key to forming a more accurate view of the country’s fishing industry.

“Only with the continued support of the industry in the Shetland Islands can we keep up this hugely valuable exercise, producing outputs that allow us to better understand the industry as a whole and to inform key decision makers,” he said.

“Therefore, we would encourage skippers and boat owners from across the coast, from Sumburgh to Yell, to speak to our researchers and complete the survey so that we can present the most accurate picture possible.”