Prices are a worry

There are fears that the economic downturn may be having a knock-on effect on trade at Lerwick fishmarket, with prices again slightly depressed this week according to agents LHD.

An LHD spokesman said that, while there had been a healthy 3,500 boxes landed in Lerwick in the first three days of the week, it had again “not been great” price-wise despite a slight improvement on Wednesday.

He said there had been a steady supply of fish and a steady supply of imports, but for the last month prices have been struggling, speculating that it may be “simply because nobody has any money”. Hopefully things would improve in the build-up to Easter, he added.

He added that the EU’s new days at sea scheme could lead to an uplift in market prices but that it would be no help to anyone else, with some of the Shetland fleet planning to fish around Rockall as it is outwith European Union boundaries – something they “wouldn’t usually even contemplate”.

Whitefish prices: catfish £1.30-£1.86; cod £0.65-£2.22; dogfish £0.50-£1.50; haddock £0.50-£1.90; hake £1-£2.06; halibut £4.45-£9.40; John Dory £4.97-£5.54; lemon sole £1.07-£5.60; ling £0.90-£1.48; lythe £1-£1.95; megrims £0.50-£4.80; monkfish £1.83-£3.42; plaice £0.45-£1.78; red mullet £2.40-£3.20; saithe £0.45-£0.90; squid £2-£3.86; turbot £8.30-£13; tusk £0.60-£1; whiting £0.40-£1.87; witches £0.65-£1.70.

LANDINGS DAY BY DAY

Lerwick : Scalloway
Boats – Boxes : Boats – Boxes

Friday 5 – 445 : 1 – 20
Monday 6 – 940 : 3 – 410
Tuesday 8 – 1330 : 1 – 390
Wednesday 7 – 1400 : 1 – 70
Thursday 2 – 500 : 1 – 120
TOTALS 28 – 4615 : 7 – 910