The volume and wholesale value of fish landings advanced by 22.6 and 27 per cent respectively in the third quarter compared to the same period last year.
Fish landings in the third quarter amounted to 452,406 kilograms. Swordfish and dorado catches went up by 55.3 and 107.1 per cent over the corresponding quarter of 2012. Similarly, the wholesale value of fresh fish landings advanced to €2.6 million.
In the period under review, Maltese fishermen landed 368,226 kilograms (+46.2 per cent) of fresh fish, making up 81.4 per cent of total landings. This resulted mainly from an increase in landings of dorado (+118.5 per cent) and swordfish (+44.7 per cent).
The wholesale value of fish landings by Maltese fishermen increased by 25.7 per cent to €2.2 million compared to the third quarter last year.
Gozitan fishermen landed 84,180 kilograms (-28.2 per cent) of fresh fish in the third quarter of 2013, representing 18.6 per cent of total landings. Increases in swordfish (+334.4 per cent) and dorado (+84.6 per cent) landings were offset by a 98.6 per cent drop in landings of mackerel.
The wholesale value of fresh fish landings by Gozitan fishermen amounted to €409,625 (+34.8 per cent) over the comparative period last year.