Fish landings down by 25% in third quarter 2014

During the third quarter this year, the volume and wholesale value of fish landings decreased by 25.4 and 25.7 per cent respectively.

Fish landings in the third quarter amounted to 337,559 kilograms, down by 25.4 per cent over the comparative period last year. This was due to a drop in landings of most of the species, mainly Swordfish (-27.6 per cent) and Dorado (-26.0 per cent). Similarly, the wholesale value of fresh fish landings declined by 25.7 per cent to €2.0 million.

During the period under review, Maltese fishermen landed 284,283 kilograms (-22.8 per cent), making up 84.2 per cent of total landings. The decline resulted mainly from a drop in all the species, mainly Swordfish (-29.6 per cent) and Dorado (-13.5 per cent). The wholesale value of fish landings by Maltese fishermen amounted to €1.7 million, a decrease of 25.4 per cent over the corresponding quarter last year.

Fresh fish landings by Gozitan fishermen decreased by 36.7 per cent over the comparative period last year. This was mainly brought about by a decrease in Dorado (-55.0 per cent) and Swordfish (-9.5 per cent). In volume terms, Gozitan fish landings comprised 15.8 per cent of total landings, generating €298,145 in wholesale value, a drop of 27.2 per cent over the third quarter last year.

The quarterly ‘All Items’ fresh fish price index for the third quarter stood at 108.62 points, reflecting a decrease of 3.52 points (-3.1 per cent) over the comparative period in 2013.

The decrease in the supply of fresh fish was reflected in the quarterly ‘All Items’ fresh fish volume index which stood at 103.60 points, down by 35.24 points or 25.4 per cent over the third quarter of 2013.