Fish landings drop by 53% in first quarter

The reported volume and wholesale value of fish landings dropped by 52.7% and 47.6% during the first quarter this year over the comparative period in 2012.

The National Statistics Office said that a total of 59,333 kg (-52.7%) of fish were landed during the first quarter of 2013.

Adverse weather conditions hampered landings to the extent that Swordfish and Dog-Fish landings, the main species caught in the period under review, decreased by 57.9% and 44% respectively.

Similarly, the wholesale value of fish landings went down by 47.6% to €368,743.

During the same period, Maltese fishermen landed 45,978 kg (-56.6%) of fresh fish, making up 77.5% of total landings.

While no Dorado landings were registered during the first quarter of 2012, in 2013 these amounted to 1,016 kg. Decreases were recorded in all the other species, mainly Swordfish (-60.2%) and Dog-Fish (-52.6%).

The wholesale value of fresh fish landings by Maltese fishermen dipped by 51.2% to €301,396 during the quarter under review.

Fresh fish landings by Gozitan fishermen declined by 31.8% over the comparative period last year.

A total of 2,783 kg of Dorado landings were recorded during the first quarter this year. On the contrary, declines in all the other species were registered.

In volume terms, Gozitan fish landings comprised 22.5% of total landings. Despite an increase of 11.4% in the wholesale value of Dog-fish landings, Gozitan fish landings generated €67,347 in wholesale value, a drop of 22.1%.