The Scottish Government responds to the falling numbers in the fishing fleet workforce and the fleet numbers
Government Addresses Workforce Drop And Vessel Loss In Latest Statistics
The Scottish Government has responded to new official figures showing a continued decline in the number of active fishermen and vessels operating in Scotland, while insisting the sector’s overall performance remains “strong”.
According to the Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2024, the number of active Scottish fishing vessels fell to 1,998, a reduction of eight boats compared with 2023.
The fleet continues to be dominated by vessels under 10 metres, which the Government notes have increased by five per cent since 2015. However, the number of vessels above 10 metres has dropped by 16 per cent over the same period.
Employment has also fallen. The data records 3,735 fishermen working on Scottish vessels in 2024, down 48 year-on-year. The Government attributes this long-term trend to factors such as labour availability, technological change and market pressures.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said the figures reflect a period of restructuring rather than collapse, pointing out that Scottish vessels landed 561,000 tonnes of seafood worth £756 million in 2024, described as “the highest value and tonnage recorded in the past ten years”. Gougeon stated that the Government “remains committed to working with industry, coastal communities”, although she offered no specific new measures in response to the decline in workforce and fleet capacity.
Industry representatives have repeatedly warned that reductions in vessel numbers and difficulty recruiting crew are already undermining the resilience of the fishing sector, particularly in the north and north-east. The latest figures confirm that trend and raise further questions about future capacity, succession planning and the viability of key ports.
MSP Mercedes Villalba, who submitted the parliamentary question, has previously highlighted concerns about the long-term sustainability of the workforce and the lack of strategic planning for Scotland’s fishing industry.
Wider Concerns About Labour, Regulation And Investment
While the Government insists the sector is performing well financially, the continued loss of larger vessels suggests that regulatory pressure, fuel costs and quota constraints remain significant challenges.
The fall in the number of working fishermen raises additional issues, particularly around recruitment and retention, with several operators warning in recent years that the sector is struggling to attract new entrants.
The Government has provided no detailed plan in this response for reversing the downward trends, leaving questions over how workforce pressures and diminishing fleet capacity will be addressed in the coming years.
