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[Barry McCrindle]

http://www.fishnewse...-shut-down.html
Cod fishery is set to shut down  l

THE UK's North Sea cod fishery is now facing imminent closure according to the latest catch uptake statistics.
The figures show that 95.3% of the UK allocation has now been netted, leaving 412 tonnes to catch.
Estimates say the fishery could only have around one week to go, in line with forecasts that UK North Sea cod catching for this year will end by the start of December.
North Sea haddock has reached a 73% uptake leaving 8627 tonnes or an estimated 10 week fishery, with whiting at 84.5% with 1639 tonnes to go.
Present uptake levels point to six more weeks of whiting catching in the North Sea grounds.
North Sea saithe has notched up an 89.2% uptake with 1277 tonnes to go, or an estimated three weeks left.
North Sea nephrops are running at a 70% uptake with West Coast nephrops at 65.4%
Reports from the West Coast indicate that the nephrops tail market is still "sticky" and that cold stores are well filled.
Prices at Mallaig for tails have dropped back to around £3.70 a kilo, while whole is reported to be "holding steady."
But as one industry member underlined today, there should normally be good increases in the run up to Christmas.
"But the buyers are saying they are not emptying their cold stores in relation to the tails market," he added.
And in comparison to the last few years, the tails market was probably as poor has it could be, he said.
He added "An average of around £3.70 to £3.80 is what we are talking about for tails although better quality might be up to £4."
Peterhead has seen "fairly reasonable" markets over the last week with prices back for small haddock.
One Norwegian vessel has been landing 1250 tonnes of Atlanto-Scandian herring at the port for Fresh Catch.
At Fraserbugh, the nephrops market is said to be not as buoyant as it was, but all catches are finding a market with good volumes for the vessels which have not been weatherbound.
On the white fish price front at Fraserburgh, monks have been increasing in price and are said to have been selling at more than £200 a box, a reflection of good Spanish demand.  Megrim demand is also said to be good.
Two Fraserburgh pelagic catchers are reported to be working out of Killybegs in search of  horse mackerel, with two other North-east boats chasing sardinella off Morocco.
Another pelagic catcher is in the North Sea chasing sprats

[armada]

Demand on monk and megs is high at the moment. The situation is that spanish/flags trawlers are not carying any quantities at the moment and the prices here are about 7€ for fish with liver. Megs reached for +800 about 10 euros per kilo (more than slips some days) the only problem is Hake. There is massive imports of hake from south africa/namibia/chile as well as good landings in all north europe. Spanish trawlers are carying VERY little quantities, longliners get some more but only big size and the market is demanding - kilos. As well as for megs they are demanding 200/300 grams for price reasons.
Lemon soles was good landings last months but now is completly stopped.
But prawns.
Prawns is full, all buyers here have plenty fish from Iceland/Norway/Danmark and now many trawlers had changed to frozen on board to get their fish sold. Danish productions are already stopped in the coldstores so north sea prawns market is going bad bad at least in my little corner of the country. Prawns is not my busines but this week im getting the fist shipment on commision just to try to introduce the scottish fresh prawns in this market, but i dont see good prespectives since argentinean scampi is going so so low that you cannot imagine, fish sold last year at 12 euros is now beeing sold at 7. And for the squid catchers i expect a big decreasse on price since massive landings from moroco/mauritania and also by the coastal handliners/trawlers. Pices here dropped many days to 3 euros on the floor for 100-300 super quality.
Best regards and hope this market report of this little corner cames good for you.