Profitability has improved slightly across all sectors of the UK seafood processing industry a recent study by the Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish) shows.

The 2004 survey of the UK Fish Processing Industry looks at the number, location, size and activity of UK fish processing businesses. It continues a series of Seafish industry surveys (previous surveys were carried out in 1986, 1995 and 2000), but for the first time this survey includes businesses that mainly process salmon. The vibrancy of this sector will be discussed at the UK's premier aquaculture industry event, Aquaculture Today 2005, being held in Edinburgh on the 13th and 14th of April.

"This will give us a clearer picture of fish processing employment in the UK removing doubt about double counting of businesses and jobs," explains Hazel Curtis, chief economist at Seafish.

The report also indicates that:

total employment peaked in 2000, with 22,555 full time equivalent employees.

there are now over 573 processing companies in the UK.

the purchasing power of supermarkets continues to put pressure on the industry to modernise.

Humberside is the largest area for employment in processing, closely followed by Grampian.

The biggest source of purchases by primary processors (those that carry out processes such as cutting, filleting, peeling, washing, chilling and packaging) is at auction (42 percent) followed by direct contract with fishing vessels.

Secondary processors (those that carry out processes such as brining, smoking, cooking, freezing, canning, deboning, breading, battering, vacuum and controlled packaging and the production of ready meals). source mainly through imports (70 percent of supplies).

The total demersel fish (whitefish) available to UK processors is in decline while pelagic fish (oil-rich fish) is increasing.

A Key Features document of this study will be from Seafish next week and the full report will be available shortly.

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish European Fish Trader, Fishing Monthly, Fish Farming Today, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Fishermens’ Federation Diary, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

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