Correction Reduces 2024 Totals but Confirms Record Year
The Scottish Government has issued corrected figures for the 2024 Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics after discovering that some landings had been double counted in the initial release.
The review, completed in February 2026, removed duplicated manual additions affecting 2023 and 2024 data. The corrected totals show Scottish vessels landed 532,000 tonnes of sea fish and shellfish worth £734 million in 2024 — down from the initially reported 561,000 tonnes worth £756 million, but still the highest tonnage and value recorded in the past decade.
Double Counting Impacted Multiple Data Categories
According to the corrected publication, the adjustments reduced overall landings by 5% in tonnage and 3% in value. Landings into Scotland fell by 3% in tonnage and 1% in value, while landings abroad saw the largest downward revision, falling 9% in both tonnage and value due to significant corrections in blue whiting figures. Blue whiting landed abroad decreased by 19% in tonnage and 45% in value following the correction.
Scottish Fleet Still Delivered Strongest Performance in Ten Years
Despite the reductions, the overall trend remains unchanged. The corrected dataset confirms 2024 as the strongest year of the last decade for both tonnage and value. Scottish vessels landed eight per cent more sea fish and shellfish than in 2023 and 33 per cent more than in 2020. Total value rose three per cent year‑on‑year in real terms and 27 per cent compared with 2020.
Pelagic Sector Drove Growth as Others Declined
The pelagic sector continued to dominate the Scottish fishing industry’s economic performance. Corrected figures show:
- Pelagic landings increased 11% in tonnage and 12% in value.
- Shellfish landings increased 1% in tonnage but fell 8% in value.
- Demersal landings fell 3% in both tonnage and value.
Mackerel remained the most valuable species, worth £285 million, accounting for 39% of the total value of all Scottish landings. Haddock was the most valuable demersal species, representing 6% of the total value. Nephrops landings were split between 1,485 tonnes of creeled Nephrops worth £17 million and 17,000 tonnes of trawled Nephrops worth £64 million.
Revised Abroad‑Landing Figures Show Norway Dominance
Scottish vessels landed 191,000 tonnes of sea fish and shellfish abroad in 2024, worth £189 million, after corrections were applied. These landings accounted for 36% of all tonnage and 26% of value. Norway remained the primary destination, accounting for 17% of all Scottish vessel landings by value and 66% of all landings abroad. Mackerel made up 68% of the value of all landings abroad.
Fleet Size and Employment Unaffected by Correction
The data revision did not affect statistics on total allowable catches, the Scottish Sustainable Fishing Indicator, fleet composition, or employment. Scotland had 1,998 active vessels in 2024, of which 1,525 were 10 metres and under. Employment fell slightly to 3,735 fishers, down 48 on 2023, continuing a gradual decline since 2015.
Correction Strengthens Confidence in Long‑Term Trends
The Scottish Government emphasised that while the corrections reduced 2024 figures, the underlying trend of long‑term sector growth — particularly in pelagic fisheries — remains unchanged. The revised dataset now reflects the most accurate picture available of Scotland’s fishing activity and economic output for 2024.
