According to the report the volume of fish landings in Lerwick has gone down by almost half in the first nine months of this year compared with the same period in 2008. The port authority confirmed that by vale the decline is smaller at 3.8 percent. It is told that the reason behind this is the decision by Shetland Fish Products to concentrate on handling offal from pelagic and salmon processors at the expense of industrial landings at the fishmeal plant at Heogan in Bressay.
The port authority said that there was an increase cruise passenger numbers of 40 per cent to 24,146 and ferry passengers of eight per cent to 97,956, a total rise of 13 per cent to 122,102. Overall, there were 4,266 vessel arrivals during the period, an increase of 0.2 percent. Despite an increase in the tonnage of cruise ships and diving support/construction vessels, the total of 6.9 million gross tonnes of shipping was down 4.3 percent.
LPA chief executive Sandra Laurenson informed that the positives include an excellent performance by the passenger and associated tourism sector. She added as the 14.3 percent decrease in cargo, including oil-related shipments, to around 603,000 tonnes demonstrates, they have not avoided some effects of the wider economic downturn.
Ms Laurenson said Lerwick’s popularity as a port of call with yacht crews also saw more visiting, with the number of yachts rising 16 percent to a record 500. White fish landings at 7,222 tonnes, worth £11.9 million, were down 1.7 per cent on volume, and three per cent on value, with the price per tonne down 1.3 per cent to £1,549 per tonne.
