Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2025
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 2025, 3,738 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 was largely unchanged (increasing by 3 fishers) between 2024 and 2025 (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 four per cent, Orkney 16 per cent and Na h-Eileanan Siar three per cent) (Table 50).
Fraserburgh is the district with the largest number of fishers (649) accounting for 17 per cent of the total in 2025. It is also the district with the largest number of fishers who work regularly, with 569 regularly employed fishers. Shetland had the most irregular fishers (107), accounting for 18 per cent of the total fishers in this category.
Chart 12. Since 2016, employment on Scottish fishing vessels has fallen by 16 per cent. There was a 15 per cent decrease in regular employment and a 23 per cent decrease in irregular employment since 2016.
Number of fishers working on Scottish vessels, 2016 to 2025.
Data source: Table 44.
[9] Figures for the Scottish labour force come from the Annual Population Survey 2025 by ONS.