Pelagic fisheries

Scottish pelagic fisheries are predominantly for mackerel, herring and blue whiting. The pelagic fleet are large vessels (35-80m length), most are modern or have been newly built and all are technologically advanced. Pelagic trawl is the main gear and eight of the 24 UK pelagic vessels are registered in Shetland. One of the five Scottish pelagic factories is located in Shetland.

The fisheries team has a track record in providing information to support the management of pelagic fish stocks. This includes the provision of scientific sampling data to the scientific division of the Marine Scotland Directorate, Marine Scotland Science (MSS), which until recently were collected from fish landings at the pelagic factory in Lerwick.

Between 2018-2021 UHI-Shetland led a Case Study within the EU Horizon2020 project PANDORA. This funded collaboration between our fisheries team, the Scottish pelagic fishing industry (through the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, SPFA) and the Marine Scotland directorate of the Scottish government (MSS), and enabled an industry-science sampling programme to be piloted. Within the pilot programme, methods for onboard sampling and data collection were designed and developed, enabling fishing crews to sample their own catches during commercial fishing operations.

The success of the pilot led to the establishment of the Scottish Pelagic Industry-Science Data Collection Programme, in which 20 of 21 Scottish pelagic vessels voluntarily participate. The programme comprises two parts: the self-sampling scheme, in which vessel crews measure and record the length and weight of fish in the catch; and the co-sampling scheme, whereby vessel crews collect and freeze samples of fish to be brought ashore for biological sampling by scientists at the UHI Shetland and MSS laboratories. In 2022 the Marine Stewardship Council awarded the Ocean Leadership Award in recognition of the work carried out in developing and establishing the Programme. Further information on the Programme is available here.

The fisheries team continue to work with industry, government and academic organisations in further developing our pelagic workstream. Other examples of our pelagic research include assessing the carbon footprint of the Scottish pelagic fleet and identifying herring populations in Shetland waters.

Publications

Mackinson, S., Brigden, K., Craig, J., Clarke, E.D., Angus, C. & Pert, C.C. 2023. The road to incorporating Scottish pelagic industry data in science for stock assessments. Frontiers in Marine Science 10:1075345. doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1075345.

Sandison, F., Hillier, J., Hastings, A., MacDonald, P., Mouat, B. & Marshall, C.T. 2021. The environmental impacts of pelagic fish caught by Scottish vessels. Fisheries Research 236:105850. pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/the-environmental-impacts-of-pelagic-fish-caught-by-scottish-vess.

Brigden, K., Farrell, F., Fraser, S., Ayres, S., Laurenson, K., Powell, A., Riley, D., Wood, C., & Angus, C. 2023. Identification of Herring in Shetland Waters - Full Report. UHI Shetland Report. pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/identification-of-herring-in-shetland-waters-full-report.