Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2024
An Accredited Official Statistics publication that provides detailed information on the tonnage and value of landings, fishing vessel characteristics and employment.
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In 2024, 3,735 fishers were working on Scottish vessels, representing 0.1 per cent of the total Scottish labour force[9]. The number of fishers working on Scottish vessels fell by one per cent (down 48 fishers) between 2023 and 2024 (Table 48 and Chart 12).
Although employment in the fishing fleet is a small percentage of total employment in Scotland, employment in fishing accounts for a higher percentage of employment in island communities (Shetland three per cent, Orkney 14 per cent and Na h-Eileanan Siar two per cent) (Table 50).
Fraserburgh is the district with the largest number of fishers (651) accounting for 17 per cent of the total in 2024. It is also the district with the largest number of fishers who work regularly, with 578 regularly employed fishers. Stornoway had the most irregular fishers (79), accounting for 17 per cent of the total fishers in this category.
Chart 12. Since 2015, employment on Scottish fishing vessels has fallen by 15 per cent. There was a 13 per cent decrease in regular employment and a 22 per cent decrease in irregular employment since 2015.
Number of fishers working on Scottish vessels, 2015 to 2024.
[9] Figures for the Scottish labour force come from the Annual Population Survey 2024 by ONS.