Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2020

National Statistics publication that provides data on the tonnage and value of all landings of sea fish and shellfish by Scottish vessels, all landings into Scotland, the rest of the UK and abroad, and the size and structure of the Scottish fishing fleet and employment on Scottish vessels.


Table 38: Number of active1 Scottish registered vessels by main fishing method2,, as at 31st December 2016 to 2020

  10m & under Over 10m Total
Pelagic Demersal Shellfish Non fishing6 Over 10m Total
Year Nephrop trawls Creel fishing Lines/ hand lines Other3 Non fishing6 Total Pelagic trawl Pelagic lines Total Trawl4 Seine Lines Other5 Total Nephrop trawls Creel fishing Other Total
2016 58 900 123 71 312 1,464 19 1 20 91 14 9 4 118 204 99 102 405 26 569 2,033
2017 63 911 157 77 296 1,504 20 2 22 88 13 9 4 114 200 100 106 406 19 561 2,065
2018 56 946 154 74 309 1,539 18 0 18 111 13 9 4 137 160 105 104 369 26 550 2,089
2019 53 992 143 66 305 1,559 19 1 20 80 12 7 7 106 185 99 104 388 25 539 2,098
2020 51 892 165 102 346 1,556 21 1 22 81 14 7 8 110 187 99 93 379 21 532 2,088

(1) An active vessel is a fishing vessel that is registered (Register of Shipping and Seamen) and licenced to fish: see the glossary.

(2) Main fishing method is determined by calculating which fishing gear is used to catch the majority of the vessel's landings (by value).

(3) The 10m and under 'Other' fishing method category includes: mechanical dredging, suction dredging, gill nets and entangling nets, shell fishing by hand and all demersal trawls, nets and traps.

(4) The over 10m 'Demersal trawl' category includes; demersal single trawl, demersal pair trawl, demersal twin/multi trawl and beam trawl.

(5) The over 10m 'Demersal other' category includes; demersal gill nets and entangling nets and other demersal.

(6) The 'Non fishing' category includes vessels which hold an active licence but did not report any catch in the year stated.

Contact

Email: fisheriesstatistics@gov.scot

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