Busy autumn mackerel fishery

Pictured here is the Shetland vessel Altaire landing her catch of high-quality mackerel to the Northbay processing facility at Peterhead earlier this week.

The Scottish mackerel fleet is currently experiencing a busy autumn fishery working grounds close to Peterhead and off Shetland. The proximity of the mackerel to processing centres at Peterhead and Lerwick means the boats have been operating short trips, resulting in mackerel landings of the highest quality. The fish are typically in the 380g to 440g range.

The autumn fishery will end shortly, with catching operations resuming once more in January. As part of the work operation, the crews in the Scottish fleet continuously self-sample their mackerel catches for scientific research purposes, the data from which enhances our understanding of stock dynamics and ensures a sustainable future for the fishery.

The UK is currently chairing discussions with Coastal States in a bid to resolve the impasse over mackerel quota shares, and there are hopes that an agreement may be reached in the near future.