High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Monday, October 12, 2009
Sea Fisheries
The graph below displays the value of landings by Scottish based vessels into the UK and abroad for the years 2003 - 2008.
The total value of fish landed by Scottish vessels in 2008 was £396 million, representing an increase of 25 per cent in real terms over 2003 - 2008, during which period the value of landings has steadily increased. In real terms, the value of all landings by Scottish based vessels is at its highest since 2001.
The value of demersal landings fell between 2002 and 2003, recovered between 2003 and 2006 but fell back in 2007. In 2002, the value of demersal landings by Scottish based vessels totalled £137m; this fell to £109m in 2003; then rose to £136m in 2006 but fell back to £130m in 2007 before recovering to £139 million in 2008. The 2008 value represents an increase in real terms of 13 per cent on the 2003 figures.
The value of pelagic landings has increased from £78m in 2003 to £101m in 2008; an increase of 15% in real terms over the period.
The value of shellfish landings increased markedly over the same period and by 2006 shellfish had become the most valuable sector to the Scottish fleet. In 2003, the value of landings was £93m and, in 2008, £155m; an increase of 48% in real terms.
In 2003, demersal landings accounted for 39% of the total value of landings and was the most valuable sector to the Scottish fleet; by 2008, this had fallen slightly to 35%, lower than the 39% accounted for by shellfish.
View chart data
Source: Marine Scotland Science
The Scottish Government has set a National Indicator to ensure that the proportion of Scotland's key commercial fish stocks where the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) set in European negotiations is in line with scientific guidance is at least 70% in 2015. Some of our key stocks have been at historically low levels in recent years and we want to ensure that fish stocks are healthy and sustainable for future generations. This indicator will monitor the extent to which we are ensuring that more of key commercial fish stocks are classified as being at full reproductive capacity and are being harvested sustainably.
The proportion of Scotland's key commercial fish stocks where the quota (Total Allowable Catch ( TAC)) set in European negotiations was in line with scientific guidance was 60% in the 2006 baseline. It reached 75% in 2007 but decreased to 70% in 2008, equal to the 2015 target figure. The principle reason for the drop in indicator value in 2008 is that the scientific advice was not followed in December 2008 Fisheries Council when setting the TACs for nephrops stocks, the most commercially valuable species for Scotland. However, the methodology to arrive at that scientific conclusion is disputed by Scotland and many other EU member states and Scotland is working with the scientists on this.
View chart data
Source: Marine Scotland Science
Note (1): Stocks for which there was no available advice for the year, or where the advice was unclear, have been counted as if the TAC was not consistent with the advice.
Note (2): For each year, the calculation of the proportion of fish stocks used data weighted by value for that year. Landings data for 2009 was estimated by 2008 landings data.
Note (3): Each point on the graph refers to the proportion of fish stocks where the TAC was set within scientific advice calculated over the three year period centred on that year.
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