The volume and wholesale value of fish landings at the fish market declined by 46.3 per cent and 10.1 per cent respectively, due to lower catches of the major species, the National Statistics Office reported.

In the third quarter of 2007, a total of 268,700 kilogrammes of fresh fish were landed at the local fish market. When compared to the same period last year the volume of fresh fish landed declined by 46.3 per cent, due to a shortfall in the landings of dorado (-63.0 per cent), swordfish (-19.9 per cent) and blue fin tuna (-86.3 per cent). Similarly, the wholesale value of fresh fish landed fell by 10.1 per cent to Lm0.70 million this year.

January-September 2007

To date, 608,341 kilograms of fresh fish yielding Lm1.68 million, were landed at the local fish market, implying drops of 34.9 per cent regarding volume and 12.0 per cent regarding wholesale value. The decline in volume was mainly due to the fall in dorado and blue fin tuna landings, by 62.5 per cent and 45.5 per cent respectively. The decline in the wholesale value of fish landings was brought about by lower landings of dorado and blue fin tuna.

Maltese landings

In the period under review, Maltese fishermen landed 213,436 kilograms of fresh fish or

28.4 per cent less than in the third quarter of 2006. Dorado, Blue Fin Tuna and

Swordfish landings, being the main species landed in this quarter, declined by 38.7 per cent, 18.5 per cent, and 85.6 per cent respectively. In contrast, the wholesale value of fresh fish landed increased by 2.9 per cent over the third quarter in 2006 due to an increase in the volume of shrimp landed, and because of better prices fetched as a result of the shortfall in the volume of dorado landed.

Gozitan landings

The third quarter of 2007 resulted in a 73.1 per cent decline in the volume of fish landed at the local fish market by Gozitan fishermen. Although a general decline in all major species was registered, the volume of dorado landed at the fish market declined heavily by 81.3 per cent. Dorado landings at the fish market in the third quarter of 2007 contributed to 58.1 per cent of all landings, down from 83.6 per cent in the third quarter of 2006. Although higher prices for the major species were obtained, the wholesale value of fresh fish landed by Gozitan fishermen declined by 45.4 per cent over the comparative period, resulting from smaller catches.

Landings by foreign vessels

Foreign-flagged vessels landed 1,989 kilograms of fresh fish yielding Lm4,136. This represents a decline of 50.2 per cent in volume and 55.3 per cent in the wholesale value over the third quarter in 2006.

Indices

The Quarterly 'All Items' fresh fish price index for the third quarter stood at 145.31, up by 38.12 points (+35.6 per cent) from 107.19 points in the third quarter of 2006. On the other hand, the Quarterly 'All Items' fresh fish volume index fell by 69.26 points (-46.3 per cent) from 149.66 points in the third quarter of 2006 to 80.40 points in the third quarter this year.