Cuts at Macduff will lead to ‘death of fishing’ at the port
11th March 2025
Industry figures in Macduff have vowed to fight projected cuts to harbour budgets that will see the current nightwatchman service abolished, and the ice factory, installed only five years ago, closed.
The installation of the factory – also used by small boats from elsewhere along the Moray Coast, which collect ice whilst dropping off their daily landings in the port – was at the time hailed as a way of increasing footfall in Macduff, and the volume of landings being transported from there to Peterhead and elsewhere for sale.
Councillors made cuts totalling £15m from the Aberdeenshire Council budget, confirming the decision about Macduff as part of this.
In 2024, the council published an independent report into the operation of its harbours, of which Macduff has by far the largest turnover. The report, which FN is told cost council taxpayers £60,000, was repeatedly delayed, and was rewritten several times before it was finally accepted.
In April 2024, the Harbour Board announced that it was waiving landing fees for a year, in a bid to increase landings into the port, with hopes that fish sales could also be reintroduced if the strategy was successful.
Operation of the Macduff ice facility, which was expected to be profitable, has been hit by the loss of some local vessels, many newer vessels making their own ice and, more recently, competition from an upgraded machine nearby in Banff. Officials estimate that it is now losing around £20,000 a year. The 7t ice facility has suffered a series of mechanical and operational issues since installation.
It is the abolition of the 40-year-old nightwatchman service, however, which is creating the bigger opposition. Under current rules, this means that the harbour will only be able to take vessels in during office hours, between 8am and 4pm – and this in, for larger vessels, a tidal port!
Axing the roles will save the council £150,000 a year. The six nightwatchmen affected all appear likely to lose their jobs. Multiple critics have pointed out that this move ‘effectively closes the harbour’.
One of the many local industry figures voicing their concerns is John Clark, who operates his vessel Reliance III BF 800 from the harbour.
“Fishing is a 24-hour job when it comes to harbours,” he said. “What really angers us is that Aberdeenshire Council did this with zero consultation with the Harbour Advisory Group or local harbour staff. We only found out about their plans by reading it in the local press.
“The nightwatchmen that have saved countless lives only found out they were being made redundant by reading it in the press!
“It also seems that Aberdeenshire Council are ignoring their statutory obligations regarding the port marine safety code – they have even decided to axe the independent designated expert who keeps all Aberdeenshire harbours in line with the port marine safety code.”
One local councillor, Ross Cassie, slammed the proposal during the debate held prior to approval of the cuts, arguing that they would have much wider impacts on the local economy. “This cut does not just affect the harbour, but the town of Macduff, its economy and beyond,” he said.
“Fish is still being landed at Macduff. Go through with this, and all that stops.”
A message from John Watt of Macduff Shipyards was read out during the meeting, arguing that he has been trying to bring more vessels into the town.
He said: “If we lose the watchmen, we will also lose the fish landing we currently have. Macduff will cease to be a real port – can Macduff still be classed as a fishing town?”
Councillors who objected to the cuts say they do not accept that the decision is irreversible, and are looking instead at suggesting cuts that will allow the nightwatchmen to remain in place, and enable the harbour to continue to allow landings as and when tides and fishing patterns dictate.
