Harbour report: Fish police land a rotten catch, Denmark elects a fish
Is something rotten in the state of Norway?
Rottfisk, a Norwegian fishing boat rigged for long-line and gillnet fishing, was escorted into Lerwick on Sunday by Scottish government patrol vessel Hirta.
The government’s marine directorate confirmed the crew were “detained … for suspected fisheries offences” and that “the investigation has now concluded with enforcement action being carried out”.
Officials did not say what the offence was, or the penalty.
It was just one of many Norwegian boats in harbour this week as mackerel season enters full swing.
Local trawlers have begun to set off too, with Serene landing on Saturday and Adenia the day after.
The barge Mormaen 15 was up in Lerwick carting around Norwegian boulders for coastal defences in Grutness and living up to its name, Norwegian yacht 2 Slow 4 U is still pottering around Shetland.
Rough weather at either end of the week has consolidated the whitefish fleet out in the middle, with a big market expected Friday.
Mackerel and megrim prices are up, but smaller haddock are still arriving in number and selling cheap.
Meanwhile Denmark has elected a national fish — a plaice wearing a bowtie.
The flatfish beat out five other species, and persistent claims the entire subsea election was an exercise in greenwashing declining stock numbers.
Should Shetland have a fish and, if it did, what would it wear?
“Haddock,” said Opportune IV skipper Ross Christie. “And just a small one — that’s all we ever catch, all year round.”
Fish prices: brill £11.30-13.50; catfish £2.44-4.98; cod £3.48-7.67; dogfish 7p-£1; eel 20-60p; gurnard 9p-£1; haddock 7p-£5.45; hake 95p-£8.92; halibut £7.30-20.50; John Dory 30p-£4.20; lemon sole £1.55-14.83; ling 49p-£3.76; lythe 10p-£7.40; mackerel £1-3.04; megrims 2p-£16.35; monkfish £2.14-7.08; plaice 73p-£6.47; saithe £1.29-4.28; skate 78p-£2.30; squid £1.50-4.51; turbot £12.40-35.80; tusk 56p-£3.14; whiting £1.25-4.11; whiting round 12p-£2; witches £1-5.15.
