This is information is extremely valuable in helping to understand the direction of travel and ecosystem impacts of our fishing industry.

‘The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) published its annual UK Sea Fisheries Statistics 2013 report today. The report includes detailed figures on the UK fishing fleet, the number of fishermen, the quantity and value of landings, international trade and the state of key fishing stocks.

LINK: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/annual-uk-fishing-industry-report-published-today

MMO The report highlights that in 2013:

  • UK vessels landed 624,000 tonnes of sea fish (including shellfish) into the UK and abroad with a value of £718 million – a 1 per cent decrease in quantity and a 7 per cent decrease in value compared with 2012.
  • Landings of demersal fish (such as haddock, cod and whiting) increased by 10 per cent between 2012 and 2013 to the highest level seen for over ten years. Landings of haddock – the highest caught demersal species – have risen by a third in two years to 40,000 tonnes. Pelagic (such as mackerel) and shellfish landings fell by 3 and 6 per cent respectively between 2012 and 2013.
  • Pelagic fish accounted for the largest share in terms of landings (47 per cent) but the lowest share in value (25 per cent). Demersal fish accounted for the largest share in terms of value (38 per cent), slightly higher than shellfish (37 per cent).
  • The Scottish and Northern Irish fleets caught mainly pelagic fish. Demersal fish account for the highest share of the English fleet’s catch and shellfish are predominately caught by the Welsh fleet.
  • The UK fishing fleet fell from being the sixth to the seventh largest in the EU in terms of vessel numbers, with the second largest capacity and fourth largest power. Around 6,400 fishing vessels were registered with a total capacity of 197,000 GT and total power of 798,000 kW.
  • 68 per cent of the quantity landed by the UK fleet was caught by vessels over 24 metres in length; 4 per cent of the total number of UK vessels. These vessels tend to catch lower value pelagic fish and their share of the value of the UK catch is 54 per cent.
  • Around 12,150 fishermen were reported as active in the UK. Of these, around 1,800 were part-time.
  • Scottish vessels accounted for 59 per cent of the quantity of landings by UK vessels while English for 31 per cent.

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