Fewer fish, more money- and what about the oil?

Lerwick Harbour figures for the third quarter of this year are interesting. Total fish landings were down by 26% on volume. That’s a reduction of over a quarter, so let nobody tell you fish stocks are fine. However, the fish that was landed fetched 4.8% more on value. The price per tonne of white fish increased by 13.8%.

The website EU Fish News reports that ‘oil-related activity’ at Lerwick Harbour showed a significant increase this year. 55% more ‘oil-related vessels’ used the Shetland port between January and September than in the same period last year. Just what form this oil activity takes is not stated. Sandra Laurenson, Lerwick Port Authority’s Chief Executive, was pleased by the harbour’s increasing traffic, including a small rise in ferry passengers, but did not indicate that more oil was being produced. On the contrary, she said the continuing development of the port’s deep-water infrastructure would ‘service operations and support future decommissioning projects.’