Strong results from 2024 stock assessments
Shetland’s commercial shellfish stocks continue to support strong fisheries while remaining at sustainable levels, according to the results of the latest stock assessments.
The research carried out for the SSMO by shellfish scientist Leander Harlow shows reduced landings for scallops and brown crab in 2024 but higher catches per unit of effort.
Velvet crab fishermen saw an increase in overall landings and in the amount of effort applied in the fishery but they still managed to record an increase in the catch rate per creel.
King scallop catch rates rose to a new high last year of 35 scallops per dredge each hour. However, there was less effort in the fishery and, for the second year running, overall landings were down from the peak year of 2022. There were anecdotal reports of declining scallop catches in some areas. This requires further investigation.
Catching effort on brown crab saw a drop last year but with a significant increase in the catch per creel, reaching 1.28kg. The highest catch rates continue to be in the north and northwest where most of the targeted fishery for brown crab takes place.
Lobster landings increased for the first time in four year despite less effort. There was a jump in the catch rate for the second year in a row.
The buckie fishery (common whelk) saw a record catch rate of 2.8kg per pot with a slight drop in effort on the stock.
The full stock report for 2024 will be available to the 106 licensed SSMO fishermen after the summer in the licence holders’ area of this website.