Lerwick Harbour in focus
16th December 2015
Strategically located at the heart of Europe’s richest fishing grounds, Lerwick is the second busiest fishing port in Britain. In 2014, 69,973t of fish, with a value of £61.2m, were landed at Lerwick.
Above: Stormbound – the Norwegian 80m pelagic vessel Christina E looms large over the Killybegs midwater trawlers Colmcille and Westward Isle berthed on the inside arm of Victoria Pier.
The size of Lerwick harbour, which is served by north and south entrances and protected to the east by the island of Bressay, is illustrated by the fact that it features almost 4,000 metres of quays, including 1,300 metres of deep-water berthing, and 130,000m. of laydown space.
Pelagic fish is landed directly at Europe’s largest processor, Shetland Catch. The geographical location means mackerel and herring often being discharged within hours of being caught. The modern factory’s discharge berth, with 9m water-depth and one of the most advanced discharging systems in the world, allows the largest pelagic trawlers to land catches at up to 100 tonnes an hour.
A temperature-controlled white fish market, served by an electronic auction, operates five days a week, regularly attracts visiting vessels.
Lerwick Port Authority is continuing its well-established policy of large-scale development and investment in the future of the fishing industry with the £16.4 million new Holmsgarth North deepwater quay, which in turn will facilitate the building of a new customised fishmarket.
The following selection of photographs taken last month provides an example of the diversity and scale of fishing activity by local and visiting vessels.
The Burra whitefish trawler Venture passes the new Holmsgarth North deepwater quay to berth on Mair’s Quay where the new Lerwick fishmarket will be located.
The Norwegian purser Kremmervik pumping mackerel ashore at the Shetland Catch pelagic fish processing factory.
Resilient landing into Lerwick fishmarket.
The distinctive yellow Shetland whitefish boxes in a well-supplied Lerwick market…
… while electronic selling takes place in a warm environment directly overhead.
The visiting Buckie twin-rig trawler landing into Lerwick fishmarket.
The Co Donegal pair trawlers Olgarry and Pacelli moored outside the Morrison Dock when in for shelter.
The reefer ship Regal Bay, loading frozen mackerel from Shetland Catch.
Crewmen on the Skerries scalloper Renown W putting bags of clams ashore.
Crewmen on the Whalsay midwater trawler Zephyr take a new mackerel net onboard.
The local whitefish boats Devotion, Ocean Way, Opportune, Prolific and Venture alongside Mair’s Quay, where later this decade they will be landing into the Lerwick fishmarket.
Fraserburgh skipper Mark Andrew Masson’s twin-rig trawler Valhalla leaves freshening weather astern after passing Bressay light before entering Lerwick harbour by the South Mouth.
Twin-rig trawlers from North-East Scotland go alongside the fishmarket at Lerwick to land.
Check out more from Fishing News here…
Strategically located at the heart of Europe’s richest fishing grounds, Lerwick is the second busiest fishing port in Britain. In 2014, 69,973t of fish, with a value of £61.2m, were landed at Lerwick.
Above: Stormbound – the Norwegian 80m pelagic vessel Christina E looms large over the Killybegs midwater trawlers Colmcille and Westward Isle berthed on the inside arm of Victoria Pier.
The size of Lerwick harbour, which is served by north and south entrances and protected to the east by the island of Bressay, is illustrated by the fact that it features almost 4,000 metres of quays, including 1,300 metres of deep-water berthing, and 130,000m. of laydown space.
Pelagic fish is landed directly at Europe’s largest processor, Shetland Catch. The geographical location means mackerel and herring often being discharged within hours of being caught. The modern factory’s discharge berth, with 9m water-depth and one of the most advanced discharging systems in the world, allows the largest pelagic trawlers to land catches at up to 100 tonnes an hour.
A temperature-controlled white fish market, served by an electronic auction, operates five days a week, regularly attracts visiting vessels.
Lerwick Port Authority is continuing its well-established policy of large-scale development and investment in the future of the fishing industry with the £16.4 million new Holmsgarth North deepwater quay, which in turn will facilitate the building of a new customised fishmarket.
The following selection of photographs taken last month provides an example of the diversity and scale of fishing activity by local and visiting vessels.
The Burra whitefish trawler Venture passes the new Holmsgarth North deepwater quay to berth on Mair’s Quay where the new Lerwick fishmarket will be located.
The Norwegian purser Kremmervik pumping mackerel ashore at the Shetland Catch pelagic fish processing factory.
Resilient landing into Lerwick fishmarket.
The distinctive yellow Shetland whitefish boxes in a well-supplied Lerwick market…
… while electronic selling takes place in a warm environment directly overhead.
The visiting Buckie twin-rig trawler landing into Lerwick fishmarket.
The Co Donegal pair trawlers Olgarry and Pacelli moored outside the Morrison Dock when in for shelter.
The reefer ship Regal Bay, loading frozen mackerel from Shetland Catch.
Crewmen on the Skerries scalloper Renown W putting bags of clams ashore.
Crewmen on the Whalsay midwater trawler Zephyr take a new mackerel net onboard.
The local whitefish boats Devotion, Ocean Way, Opportune, Prolific and Venture alongside Mair’s Quay, where later this decade they will be landing into the Lerwick fishmarket.
Fraserburgh skipper Mark Andrew Masson’s twin-rig trawler Valhalla leaves freshening weather astern after passing Bressay light before entering Lerwick harbour by the South Mouth.
Twin-rig trawlers from North-East Scotland go alongside the fishmarket at Lerwick to land.
Check out more from Fishing News here…
