2 March, 2007

SHETLAND'S electronic auction mart has had its most successful year yet with increases to the value of white fish and the number of boats landing in the isles.

Now the mart wants to extend its net and has invited fish farmers to use its service.

Shetland Seafood Auctions said yesterday (Thursday) they had seen a 42 per cent increase in the price for white fish landed to £16.5 million, and a 15 per cent increase in tonnage to 11,344 tonnes.

Furthermore a total of 95 different boats landed throughout the year, a 22 per cent increase on the previous year.

Shetland Auctions manager Martin Leyland said: "Fish prices in Shetland have now increased to a level similar to ports such as Peterhead. We attribute this impressive result to our favourable location and the quality of service on offer.

"This is great news for the auction. At its inception, numerous targets were set up, namely to attract five to ten Scottish boats to land their catches, to maintain the landings of Shetland boats and to maintain the overall value of fish sold at the market. All have been achieved.

"From the outset, the auction has played a central role in ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for the fisheries sector in Shetland and I will ensure that we continue to deliver in that respect."

Mr Leyland said the company had found their website to be extremely useful for the growth of their business. They hope to use it to help Shetland farmed seafood firms to also achieve a large increase in profit.

"I look forward to extending our role to help the farmed seafood sector achieve similar results. New buyers have been registering for our internet bidding system during the past few months.

"We are trying to bring buyers and sellers together. Traditionally farmed seafood has not been put up to auction. In the aquaculture industry fish is traditionally sold by contract, mainly organised over the phone.

"I would encourage producers to contact me, so that we can increase the species and volume available to attract even more buyers."