Peterhead sets new record for fish earnings

PETERHEAD has notched up new record earnings from fish handled at the port, it emerged today.

Port Authority chief executive John Wallace told FISHupdate that gross earnings from all fish handled in 2007 amounted to ?13,512,520 compared with ?07,725,125 for the year before.

He went on "We are absolutely over the moon with these figures because it shows that fishermen are being compensated for their product, despite the tight conditions they are being forced to operate in."

Mr Wallace, who also revealed plans to expand capacity at their main fish market, said that the value of consigned fish reaching the port had gone from ?.9million to ?.4million and white fish value had gone from 2.3million to 6.4million.

Shellfish value had gone from ?.3million to ?.3million including around million from frozen crab imports.

Prawn landings were up and mackerel value had gone from ?8.3million to 9.2million.

Herring, despite a significant cut in the quota, had only fallen in value from 0.7million to .5million thanks to the port's ability to attract additional landings.

And incredibly, the level of white fish landed into the port was exactly the same as in the previous year.

Meanwhile, they were in the early stages of looking at expansion of their Merchants Quay fish market accommodation which would allow either an additional 1000 or 1500 boxes on the flat to be handled.

This plan was in its early stages and would depend on a number of factors including budgetary and planning considerations.