Fish landings up 35% in third quarter

During the third quarter this year, the volume and wholesale value of fish landings increased by 35.0 and 25.1 per cent respectively over the comparative period in 2014.

Fish landings in the third quarter amounted to 455,862 kilograms, up by 35.0 per cent over the comparative period in 2014. This was due to increases in almost all the landings except for shrimp which registered a decrease of 27.4 per cent. Similarly, the wholesale value of landings increased by 25.1 per cent to €2.5 million.

Maltese fishermen landed 390,491 kilograms, an increase of 37.4 per cent over the comparative period in 2014. Landings of Maltese fishermen accounted for 85.7 per cent of total landings.

The two main species landed, swordfish and dorado, increased by 72.3 and 17.1 per cent respectively. The wholesale value of fresh fish landings by Maltese fishermen amounted to €2.2 million, an increase of 30.7 per cent over the corresponding quarter last year.

Fish landings by Gozitan fishermen increased by 22.7 per cent over the comparative period a year earlier. This was mainly brought about by increases in most of the species mainly swordfish (48.1 per cent) and dorado (27.1 per cent). In terms of volume, landings by Gozitan fishermen comprised 14.3 per cent of total landings. Wholesale value amounted to €280,057, a drop of 6.1 per cent over the second quarter of 2014.

The quarterly All Items fresh fish price index for the third quarter stood at 99.74 points, a decrease of 8.88 points or 8.2 per cent over the comparative period in 2014.

The increase in the supply of fresh fish was reflected in the quarterly All Items fresh fish volume index, which stood at 139.90 points, up by 36.30 points, or 35.0 per cent more over the third quarter of 2014.