Sea fisheries

A traditional mainstay in many peripheral and fragile areas of the Highlands and Islands, sea fisheries in the region account for almost half of all Scottish landings. In total, landings in the HIE area are worth more than £150 million a year. Fish and shellfish catching jobs, which are in the most challenged areas, are particularly important but processing and distribution are also key elements in realising the economic and social worth of our fisheries resources.

Reforms and changes to EU legislation, in addition to globalisation trends, continue to make the fish industry ever more competitive. For many of those engaged in this industry in the Highlands and Islands – small- to medium-sized enterprises in the main – there are opportunities to improve business skills as a means of enhancing financial returns.

Sea fisheries generate employment for over 3,000 people in fishing and a further 8,000 in processing. While the North East of Scotland is the centre of the main whitefish catching and processing business and the majority of Scottish fish industry employment, the economy of that area is much larger and more diverse than that of the entire Highlands and Islands. As a consequence, the HIE area is more dependent on fishing-related employment than Scotland as a whole and this has been confirmed by research carried out on behalf of the European Union.

Historically, only a small proportion of fish and shellfish landed in the HIE area pass through some form of value adding process. Currently, processing is carried out on pelagic catches in Shetland and prawns in locations such as Fort William and Stornoway. We believe that there is considerable scope for future development of fish and shellfish processing in the HIE area.

HIE works with businesses throughout the fish industry supply chain, promoting a market-led business ethic. We play an active role in encouraging sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources, supporting industry in its efforts to establish locally-based fisheries management. Also, we maintain a close dialogue with both industry and the Scottish Executive on the wide range of policy and regulatory matters which affect the industry in the Highlands and Islands. Examples of this work include the Scottish Fish Industry Project and the Fish Processing Action Group, links for which are provided below.

Iain Sutherland i.sutherland@hient.co.uk can advise further.

www.scotland.gov.uk/fisheries/sfip/ Scottish Fish Industry Project.

www.seafoodscotland.org/pag.asp Fish Processing Action Group.