Scalloway Fish Market

We have to remember there is a lot of extra handling involved when fish is landed here in Shetland and it all costs money. 

 

I cannot see it would be profitable to have a vessel just to convey fish to the mainland.

Yes, and no. Landing here to go across either Lerwick or Scalloway markets, you're dead right, but not all boats do that. Putting ashore straight in to a chilled artic trailer that goes on the boat and is sold on the mainland next morning isn't that uncommon an event and minimises ashore handling and costs. *If* enough boats were doing it regularly enough, a dedicated charter boat would become increasingly more attractive.

Just a thought but would it not be possible to incorporate fish processing facilities into these new fish markets thus reducing transport and extra handling ect.

Schools cant afford to give kids fresh fish more than once a fortnight ???

Schools cant afford to give kids fresh fish more than once a fortnight ???

Agree but they seem to be able to get rid of all that is landed so someone must be able to buy it.

Yes there buying it but isn't it a shame that a deal can be brokered with the fisherman and the schools to provide a source of healthy food which is abundant in the seas around the island ?

I guess profit and greed wins the day !

I guess profit and greed wins the day !

Does it though, or is it an artificial market created by the EU?

Does fish caught in Shetland waters sell for as high prices when its landed in France, Spain, Holland, Germany, Faroe, Norway and wherever else all the boats coming here are from?

If more of what's caught around us was landed here, mightn't it result in at least a small price drop, from which no-one loses as the increased volume caught and sold more than makes up for it.

It certainly would have to be better than local boats having to dump tons of dead fish, simply because Brussels had given the lion's share of the quota for that species to someone on the Continent and the locals had already used up what little they'd gotten.

Yes there buying it but isn't it a shame that a deal can be brokered with the fisherman and the schools to provide a source of healthy food which is abundant in the seas around the island ?

 

I guess profit and greed wins the day !

I have a feeling this may be due to EU/Scottish procurement/state aid regulations rather than down to "profit and greed". The fishermen do not control the prices. 

Yes they don't control the prices but they do have the option not to sell everything to the highest bidder, as a collective all the fisherman could get together and agree to sell fish to the schools food procurement at a fixed price so the kids could get it more than once a fortnight.

I suppose if the fishermen weren't in it for money they would simply sign-on.  We live in a capitalist world. even China is running on capitalism.  Maybe hae ta got a piltock waand an mak fur da craigs.

Most be a good percentage of crews on local boats that are not even British now. Is there a shortage of locals wanting to go to the fishing or is this just cheap labour. With NAFC and new markets being built, they would be more justifiable if all the benefits were staying in the isles.

Who supplies the schools here with their fish ?

That is so sad.

I hate waste. I really do.

An Aside:  Do Shetland schools cook with Shetland lamb?

Is lamb even on the menu at the schools ?

It depends on the individual school as they all have different menus.

According to the Bells Brae website 'All school meals in Shetland's schools are prepared freshly each day, with 100% of fish and milk coming from local sources, as well as 80% of meat used'.

I always thought they used local milk and fish - not sure about meat. Something being supplied by a local company doesn't necessarily mean it's locally caught or reared though.