Council port activity up

WHITEFISH landings at Scalloway and Cullivoe increased by 20 per cent from 2016 to 2017, according to new figures released by Shetland Islands Council.

It means that around 45 per cent of all whitefish landed in Shetland was through the two council owned ports.

Last year a total of 180,111 boxes were landed at Scalloway and Cullivoe, with the majority of these sold through the former’s electronic auction.

A new fish market at Scalloway is expected to be in operation by 2020 after the SIC agreed to replace the busy building with a larger facility at an estimated cost of £5.6 million.

But councillors expressed concerns last year that a rebuilt market could still need to be enlarged further if fish quotas were increased.

There were also 110 tonnes of queen scallops landed at council ports last year alongside 1,074 boxes of line caught mackerel.

It wasn’t just the landings that were up at Scalloway in 2017, with 4,588 shipping movements throughout the year – an increase of 662.

Gross tonnage of vessels was up by 35 per cent, mainly due to larger salmon well boats and visits by seismic survey vessels for the oil industry.

Chairwoman of Shetland Islands Council’s harbour board Andrea Manson said the future bodes well for the industry in the isles.

“Scalloway harbour and fish market, Cullivoe and the wider network of council ports are proving their worth as valuable assets to support important sectors such as fishing, aquaculture and the west of Shetland oil industry,” she said.

“With increased fish landings and tonnage of vessels, we’re investing in the new fish market at Scalloway to support the future of the harbour for many years to come.”