The Scottish pelagic fleet’s January mackerel fishery is doing well, fishing west of Shetland. The fleet has been catching good-sized mackerel, which are in strong demand from the markets.
‘There have also been plenty of small fish to the north-east of the core fishing area, but these have not been fished. It is good to see these smaller fish and it means good recruitment is coming through in the stock,’ said Ally West, co-skipper of the Fraserburgh-registered Resolute and vice-chairman of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association.
‘Mackerel quality has been very good and we have encountered plenty of fish and demand from the markets is high.’
Resolute has been landing its catches into Pelagia Shetland in Lerwick, as well as in Egersund.
Robert Duthie, chairman of the Scottish Pelagic Processors Association, said demand has been especially good from the Japanese and other Far Eastern markets, which were exhibiting encouraging growth.
The winter mackerel season will come to an end within the next trwo weeks, after which some of the Scottish fleet will work a short fishery off Norway for Atlanto-Scandian herring and for blue whiting to the west of Ireland. The next major pelagic fishery will be for MSC certified North Sea herring, which will commence in mid-summer, followed by the autumn mackerel fishery.
