In the fourth quarter of 2007, a total of 240,341 kilograms of fresh fish was landed at the fish market, representing a decline of 33.7 per cent when compared to the same period last year, the National Statistics Office reported yesterday. Drops in fish landings were registered in dorado (-39.8 per cent), swordfish (-16.0 per cent) and stone bass (-66.9 per cent). Likewise, the wholesale value of fresh fish landed fell by 10.4 per cent, to stand at Lm0.44m (e1.03m).
Regional Overview
In the period under review, Maltese fishermen landed 168,836 kilograms of fresh fish or 6.9 per cent less than in the fourth quarter of 2006. Dorado and swordfish landings, being the main species landed in this quarter, declined by 2.9 per cent and 12.7 per cent respectively. In contrast, the wholesale value of fresh fish landed increased by 2.9 per cent over the fourth quarter in 2006, mainly due to better prices fetched for dorado landings.
With regard to Gozitan fish landings, the fourth quarter of 2007 resulted in a 60.8 per cent decline in the volume of fish landed. Dorado landings at the fish market made up 90.8 per cent of all Gozitan landings in the fourth quarter of 2007.
However, dorado landings declined by 59.4 per cent when compared to the same period last year.
Although higher prices for the major species were obtained, the wholesale value of fresh fish landed by Gozitan fishermen declined by 40.1 per cent over the comparative period, the result of smaller catches.
Landings by foreign vessels
Foreign-flagged vessels landed 1,029 kilograms of fresh fish yielding a wholesale value of Lm2,193 (e5,108) This represented a decline of 18.8 per cent in volume and 14.9 per cent in the wholesale value when compared to the fourth quarter of 2006.
Indices
The Quarterly ‘All Items’ fresh fish price index for the fourth quarter of 2007 stood at 125.15 points, up by 16.28 points (+15.0 per cent) from 108.87 points in the fourth quarter of 2006. On the other hand, the Quarterly ‘All Items’ fresh fish volume index fell by 36.53 points (-33.7 per cent) from 108.44 points in the fourth quarter of 2006 to 71.91 points in the fourth quarter last year.
January-December 2007
A total of 848,682 kilograms (-34.5 per cent) were landed at the fish market in 2007. The decline in volume was mainly due to a fall in dorado and blue fin tuna landings, by 52.7 per cent and 45.5 per cent respectively.
As a result, the wholesale price per kilogram of dorado and blue fin tuna increased by 95.5 per cent and 9.2 per cent respectively when compared to the same period last year.
Notwithstanding the increase in average prices of the major species of fresh fish landed, the wholesale value declined by 11.6 per cent to stand at Lm2.13m (e4.96m) in 2007.