Skye and Wester Ross

SEAFISH is calling for vessel owners and skippers in Skye and Wester Ross to participate in its 12th annual economic survey of the UK fishing fleet.

As part of this year’s survey, researchers will be in ports from Gairloch to Kyle from August 7 to 11.

Researchers want to gather data on fishing and vessel costs to provide a comprehensive overview of the financial and operational performance of the fishing industry.

The 2017 survey hopes to uncover a similar success story to last year, which saw the UK fishing sector experience its best economic performance since 2008.

The most recent results published found that the total UK fleet income increased by 19 per cent, while the operating profit increased year- on-year by 22 per cent.

The researchers will also canvass fishermen’s views on a range of current and future industry issues.

Despite last year being positive for the sector, a number of skippers and vessel owners expressed concerns for the future. Uncertainty in regulation and political developments, issues around quota availability and affordability and market prices made the list.

The next round of research, to be published in 2018, is crucial for uncovering the direction the industry is moving in. With the UK set to leave the EU, the survey will capture the mood on the ground and provide an insight in to the expectations and concerns of the fishing industry. Steve Lawrence, Economics Project Manager at Seafish, said: ‘Our annual survey provides us with a detailed picture of the UK fishing fleet’s economic performance. Anyone interested in taking part in the survey should contact Steve Lawrence at Seafish on 0131 524 8663 or email steven.lawrence@seafish.co.uk. To view the results of last year’s report, visit the Seafish website.