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Shetland Seafood Auctions is pleased to announce that 258,286 boxes of white fish were landed at the market in 2011, a figure significantly higher than in 2010. This is a great result for Shetland’s white fish sector, which has faced tough quotas and a huge reduction in fishing effort imposed at the start of the year.
Auction manager, Martin Leyland, said: “We are delighted with this year’s result, which is close to the electronic auction record of around 263,000 boxes landed in 2008 and 2009. Key to our success is the high prices achieved by the electronic auction, our strong emphasis on high quality and our proximity to the fishing grounds.
“Shetland is strategically well placed in relation to the fishing grounds, which makes the market an attractive landing proposition. In light of the recent cuts in fishing effort for 2012, it is likely that the number of local and mainland vessels choosing to land their catch here will increase as they monitor days at sea and fuel costs.
“The fact that Shetland is the second largest white fish port in the UK also contributes to our success. The high number of vessels landing in Shetland increases the availability of fish at the market, which encourages buyers to attend and, in turn, keeps prices strong.
“Since the electronic auction was first introduced in 2003, both the volume and value of white fish landed has increased considerably, which clearly demonstrates the significant progress that the auction has made.”
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