Whitefish quota shortage is effecting landings landing patterns to create major problems for skippers and processors was brought into focus at the start of last week’s fish market at Peterhead Scotland’s premier fishing port when only 3854 boxes of white fish were landed for buyers on the Monday and Tuesday morning October 25/26
This was the lowest opening two day landings for almost a year. On Tuesday not a single box of whiting crossed the market floor again due to quotas.
But surprisingly the fish on sale attracted some high prices .
The first market of the week Monday saw Eleven trawlers land a total of 2950 boxes of white fish which sold for the following. Cod Large £2.60-£3.30, Medium £2.60-£3.10, Haddock Large £2.20-£2.50, Medium ££2.20-£2.50, Whiting £1.50-£1.70, Lemon Sole £1.00-£4.00, Coley £1.25-£1.65. Monkfish £3.20-£4.00, Megrims £2.00-£6.00, Plaice 60p-£1.00, Hake £1.00-£2.50, Witches £ 1.00-£3.00 and Ling £1.50-£1.80.
Trawlers landed Harvester, Ocean Harvest, Genuine, Opportunus, Amity, Celestial Dawn. Aalskere, Maracestina, Norlantean, Atlantic Challenge and Ocean Reward
The following Market day Tuesday it was a poor day with only Six boats landing a total of 906 boxes of white fish which sold for the following price. Cod Large £3.80-£4.00, Cod Medium £3.00, THERE WERE NO HADDOCK . Or No Whiting, Lemon Sole £2.00-£5.00, Monkfish £3.80-£4.20, Coley £1.30-£1.40, Megrims £3.50-£6.00, Plaice 60p-£1.00 Witches £1.50-£3.00 and Ling £1.80.
Trawlers landed Onward, Beryl, Karen Ann, Heather Sprig, Crystal Tide and Favonian.
The next day Wednesday faired a bit better with Seven boats landing a total of 3130 boxes of white fish which sold at the following Large Cod £3.20-£4.00, medium £3.20-£3.50, No Large Haddock, Haddock Medium £2.30, Whiting £1.50, Lemon Sole £1.00-£4.00, Monkfish £3.20-£4.20. Coley £1.40-£1.75, Hake £1.50-£3.30, Plaice 60p-£1.00 and Ling £1.80.
Boats landed Opportunism, Ocean Trust, Nordfjordr, Helenus, Kella, Attain and Castlewood.
On the next market day Thursday only six trawlers landed a total of 4031 boxes which sold at the following prices Large Cod £2.80-£4.00, Medium £2.70-£3.30, Haddock Large £2.20-£2.50, Medium £2.20-£2.50, Lemon Sole £2.00-£5.00, Whiting £1.50-£1.70, Monkfish £3.50-£4.00, Megrims £3.00-£5.50, Hake £1.00-£2.00, Plaice 60p-£1,00 Witches £1.00-£3.00 and Ling £1.60-£1.70.
Trawlers landed Phoenix, Falcon, Tranquillity, Our Lass, Sustain and Vela.
The last market day of the week Friday was better with Fourteen trawlers a total of 3531 boxes of white fish which sold at Cod Large £3.50-£4.00, medium £3.20-£3.80, Haddock Large £2.20-£2.80, Medium £2.20-£2.50, Whiting £1.50-£1.80, Monkfish £3.50-£4.00, Coley £1.10-£1.40, Hake £1.30-£2.70, Plaice 60p-£1.50, Witches £1.00-£2.00 and Ling £1.50-£1.70.
Trawlers landed Ocean Dawn, Courageous, Tranquillity, Allegiance, Maggie M, Kiroan, Achieve, Fruitful Bough, Helenus, Nordfjordr, Fear Not (PD) Onward and Opportunus.
At Peterhead landings from 44 vessels totalled 14,543 boxes of white fish. There were no pelagic landings this week at Peterhead.
At Fraserburgh 110 vessels landed a total of 2382 boxes of white fish.
At Buckie harbour 19 boats landed 924 boxes of white fish, prawns and squid which sold for fair prices.
At Pittenweem harbour (Fife) there were good landings of prawns from the local prawn fleet which sold for good prices.
