THE key Humber fish markets have opened to strong demand and high prices after the long Christmas and New Year break.
Grimsby received around 3,800 boxes from Iceland while Hull handled over 1,000 boxes - mostly from Iceland the Faroe islands on Monday and Tuesday..
At Grimsby large cod was selling for over £3 a kilo, while haddock was fetching anything up to £3.30 a kilo, such was the demand for fresh fish.
Supplies were considered to be good, given that the Iceland fishing fleet had only been at sea for a few days following the Christmas holiday. If the weather holds landings should improve next week as the trawlers spend more time at sea. The Icelandic skippers will certainly be keen to send more cod and haddock to the UK if prices remain as high as they have done at the start of this week.
Leading fish supplier M&J Seafoods said in its market report this week that poor weather in some regions was also playing a part, but added there are no supply or price problems with farmed salmon and with some other species such as bass and sea bream.
Steve Norton, chief executive of the Grimsby Fish Merchants Association, told Fishupdate: "It has been a long break so there was always going to be keen demand for what fish was available. The New Year market got off to a very good start and prices were high. The fried fish trade traditionally does well at this time of year because people are fed up with rich festive food ."
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