This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scottish Fisheries Statistics 2003
30/09/2004
Detailed statistics about the sea fisheries sector were published today.
This annual publication provides details about the volume and value of each species caught, landings by the Scottish fleet, landings into ports in Scotland and the characteristics of the Scottish fishing fleet.
The main points are as follows:
· The total number of fishing vessels based in Scotland fell from 2,513 vessels at the end of 2002 to 2,395 at the end of 2003.
· Total persons employed in the fish catching sector in Scotland fell from 5,707 persons at the end of 2002 to 5,276 persons at the end of 2003.
· The value of all sea fish landings by Scottish based vessels fell by 15 per cent to £279.5 million in 2003. By volume, landings by Scottish based vessels fell by 12 per cent to 391,406 tonnes.
· Scottish-based vessels landed 62 per cent by weight and 54 per cent by value of all landings by UK vessels in 2003.
· Landings into Scotland by UK and foreign vessels remained essentially constant at 379,000 tonnes. The value of these landings fell by 10% to £283 million due to an decrease in landings of demersal species and an increase in landings of lower value pelagic species into Scottish ports.
· Approximately 69 per cent of the total volume of sea fish landed into the UK in 2003 was landed into a Scottish port.
These statistics are produced from the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department's data base which records details of sea fish landings into Scotland, and landings abroad by Scottish based vessels. These statistics are supplemented by information from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for landings into the rest of the United Kingdom.
Provision of the information contained in this publication is a requirement of EU fisheries legislation. It is provided by vessel skippers, vessel agents and fish sellers.
General copies are available from:
Blackwell's Bookshop
53 South Bridge
Edinburgh
EH1 1YS