Fish landings increase by 5.1%

The National Statistics Office (NSO) said fish landings in the second quarter this year amounted to 423,777 kilograms, an increase of 5.1% over the same period last year.

Blue Fin Tuna, the main species caught in the period under review, advanced by 51%, while Mackerel and Swordfish dropped by 26.3% and 42.6% respectively. The wholesale value of fish landings went up by 22.7% to €2.65 million.

In the period under review, fish landings by Maltese fishermen amounted to 259,982 kilograms, a

decrease of 1.1% over the second quarter of 2011. This comprised 61.3% of total fish landings.

An increase in the landings of Stone-bass ( 120%), Dog-fish ( 86.3%) and Blue Fin Tuna ( 55.1%) were offset by drops of 79.5% and 50.9% in Bogue and Swordfish landings respectively.

The wholesale value of fresh fish landings by Maltese fishermen stood at €2.28 million, resulting in an increase of 17.5% over the corresponding quarter last year.

This was mainly due to a rise in the average price per kilogram of Blue Fin Tuna, from €7.8 per kilogram

in the second quarter of 2011 to €10.9 per kilogram this year.

Fresh fish landings by Gozitan fishermen rose by 16.7% over the comparative period last year, accounting for 38.7% of total landings. Significant increases were registered in Bogue ( 457.9%), Swordfish ( 302.6%) and Dog-Fish ( 148.5 %).

Mackerel, the main species caught for Gozitan fishermen, dipped by 27.6%. The wholesale value of fresh fish landings amounted to €0.36 million, an increase of 70.9% over the second quarter of 2011, mainly due to the increase in Swordfish landings.