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WEST of Scotland fishermen are waiting to see if expected heavier prawn landings over the summer will have a detrimental effect on a market which, in prawn tail terms, is already “pretty stagnant.”
Kevin McDonnell, chief executive of the Mallaig-based West of Scotland Fish Producers’ Organisation, said that there was no word of prawn tails for the scampi market moving up in price terms, although all landings were selling.
Meanwhile, the live prawn market had held up “pretty well,” he said against a general international market background –particularly in Spain- which continued to be hit by recession.
Overall prawn landings on the West Coast are lower than usual so far this year, he said, and they could only speculate on how possibly heavier landings over the next few weeks would affect a “mediocre” market.
“We are just waiting to see how, the market will stand it if heavier fishing comes on,” he added.
“As it is, the prawn tail market is already pretty stagnant.”
Meanwhile, Mr McDonnell said he had not picked up any signs of significant interest on the West Coast in the new vessel “parking “scheme which is designed to allow consolidation of effort onto fewer vessels.
“Obviously on the West Coast we were not completely happy with a situation which could be detrimental to the prawn market by consolidating effort and quota onto a smaller number of vessels.
“However, I have not picked up significant indications of interest here.”
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