Fish landings increase 17%

The volume of fresh fish landings in the last quarter of 2009 increased by 17.7 per cent while the wholesale value decreased by 17.1 per cent when compared to the corresponding quarter in 2008, the NSO said today.

It said that 257,857 kilograms of fish were received at the fish market. This increase was mostly attributed to higher landings of Dorado (lampuka) which increased by 60 per cent.

A drop in Swordfish landings (-65.2 per cent) was registered when compared to the corresponding quarter in 2008. This decrease was mainly due to the enforcement of a closed season for swordfish fishing in the
Mediterranean.

The wholesale value of fresh fish landings decreased by 17.1 per cent, or €172,302, to €837,946 in the fourth quarter of 2009. The decline was mainly the result of a drop in the unit price of Dorado due to the abundant catch for this species.

A closer look at the figures shows that Maltese fishermen landed 107,745 kilograms of fresh fish, a drop of 9.7 per cent over the comparative period in 2008. Notable declines were recorded in Swordfish (-65.0 per cent) and Dog-fish (-53.7 per cent). These declines were partially mitigated by an increase in Dorado landings. The wholesale value of fish landings by Maltese fishermen decreased by €210,118 (-29.8 per cent) when compared to the corresponding quarter of 2008. During this period, the average price per kilogram for Dorado declined by 38.1 per cent. On the other hand, the average price per kilogram for Bogue increased by 31.0 per cent on account of lower landings.

Fresh fish landings by Gozitan fishermen represented 56.6 per cent of the total landings, an increase of 13.0 percentage points over the corresponding quarter in 2008. This was also primarily due to the spike in the volume of Dorado landings (+62.2 per cent).

In the fourth quarter of 2009, the wholesale value of landings by Gozitan fishermen amounted to €318,201, 11.5 per cent higher when compared to the corresponding period in 2008.

Foreign vessel landings
During the quarter under review, foreign-flagged vessels landed a total of 4,247 kilograms, 2.1 per cent more over the comparative period in 2008. The wholesale value also registered an increase of 24.7 per cent, from €19,957 in the fourth quarter of 2008 to €24,878 in the corresponding period last year.

Fresh fish landings by foreign-flagged vessels accounted for 1.6 per cent of the total catch.
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