The boat was trawling 27 miles south-south-east of Bressay when it caught the shell, which measures 201mm across and weighed in at just over a kilogramme.

Skipper Mark Anderson was very surprised to find an oyster in his nets and brought it to staff at the NAFC Marine Centre who confirmed its record-breaking potential. The previous record holder was reported in Cornwall in 2009 and measured 178mm across and weighed around 1.3kg.

Dr Beth Leslie from the NAFC Marine Centre said: “Native oysters are relatively rare in Shetland waters and for one to be caught in a trawl is very unusual. This oyster was also found at around 120m, which is much deeper than would be expected for this species. Although it is not possible to accurately age the shell it is possible that this individual could have been living for decades.”

The largest oyster ever recorded was in Chesapeake Bay in the USA and was over 300mm across.
 

Making a majestic appearance at Holmsgarth, the Faroese vessel, which is still partly owned by Shetland, is in the isles as part of a North Atlantic mini-cruise from Hirtshals, Denmark, calling at Torshavn, Kirkwall and Lerwick. The 163-metre Norröna, carrying predominatly German passengers, will depart tonight at 8pm, after an 11-hour visit.  

As she berthed the NorthLink ferry Hrossey went on exercise. She discharged as normal at 7.30am but then left Holmsgarth to carry out a training routine. After vehicles came off the Norröna she moved off the berth and Hrossey resumed her normal place.

The last time Norröna was in Lerwick was in November 2007, when she came in for repairs after sustaining damage in bad weather between Bergen and Torshavn.

The ferry had 244 passengers and around 80 crew on board when she suffered a blackout and engine failure after the propeller lifted out of the water in 12-metre waves. Power in two of the four engines was lost and the other two went onto low power.

Upon inspection at Lerwick it was discovered that one of the vessel’s stabilisers had forced a hole in the hull about 20 centimetres below the water line and the vessel was taking on a fair amount of water.

Twelve cars were crushed when 10 chains holding a trailer snapped. A further 80 cars were damaged when the vessel started rolling. No-one was hurt in the incident.

The company has blamed the loss of equipment and 300,000 salmon on failed moorings. It said: “More robust systems are employed in Norway and their potential for use in Scotland is being assessed.”

Morpol said it still intends recovering the four cages which sank about 60 miles east of Shetland. The rest were towed ashore and broken up.

The whole episode cost the company £740,000 overall, after taking into account insured losses.

The company reported a difficult year after record high salmon prices plummeted to what it said was a historical low at the end of July before starting to recover again.

It plans to increase production from its Scottish farms, predominantly in Orkney and Shetland, which are run by its subsidiary Meridian Salmon Group. It hopes to increase its harvest from 20,800 tonnes last year to 23,000 tonnes this year, increasing to 25,000 tonnes next year.

Production capacity was boosted recently by the £3 million purchase of the Uyeasound Salmon Company, which operates five sites next to the site where the cages were lost from. It produces around 1,000 tonnes of salmon a year.

The company also faces a public relations problem with the prosecution of two managers from a West Side farm for alleged illegal culling of seals. They are currently suspended.

A brighter prospect for the Polish/Norwegian fish farmer and processor is a major experiment with the sea lice-eating fish Ballan wrasse. Meridian has had problems with the parasite at some of its Shetland sites, particularly on the West Side. It has now teamed up with the another salmon farmer, the Scottish Salmon Company, to introduce around 250,000 wrasse to their farms over the next three years, supplied by a small Argyll-based fish farmer, Otter Ferry Seafish.

Morpol believes the project is one of the first full-scale operations to farm and deploy wrasse in Scotland. The results are to be shared with the rest of the Scottish salmon industry.

The tonnage of oil-related cargo and shipping both more than doubled compared with the same period in 2011.

With the number of support vessels using Lerwick up 82 per cent at 127, the tonnage rose 120 per cent at 508,575 gross tonnes, with cargo handled up 102.7 per cent at 24,254 tonnes.

The larger vessels operating in the offshore sector were the main reason for increased pilotage movements – 273, up 36 per cent, with 1.1 million gross tonnes of vessels piloted, up 32 per cent.

Lerwick Port Authority deputy chief executive Victor Sandison said: “Increasing oil-related activity in the first quarter again demonstrated the value of the investment in deep-water infrastructure, including the latest berth at Greenhead which was brought into use ahead of schedule in February to support a major North Sea project.

“While specific factors had negative influence on two key sectors – passenger traffic and fish landings – the outlook for the port is positive, with the prospect of a record cruise season, which started this month, and continuing strong offshore industry activity, backed by ongoing development of facilities for the longer term.”

The first three months saw the total number of vessels calling at Lerwick up 3.7 per cent at 1,149, with overall cargo higher by 14.9 per cent at 205,406 tonnes. At 17,195, the number of ferry passengers was down 12 per cent in a period which saw both ferries sailing on the Scottish mainland route dry-docked for biennial servicing.

Fish landings totaled 13,896 tonnes, valued at £13.3 million, down 38 per cent on both volume and value. White fish, at 2,771 tonnes, was valued at £4.2 million, up 15 per cent on volume and 1.3 per cent on value. The white fish price per tonne was down 12 per cent, to average £1,521 per tonne, due to landings including a higher proportion of lower value whiting than previously.

In the pelagic sector winter mackerel landings were substantially down in volume and price, with quota remaining to be taken in the autumn. Blue whiting landings resumed in March, following no landings in 2011.

The body representing the sector – the Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group (SPSG) – said the presentation by EU fisheries commissioner Maria Damanaki demonstrated the industry’s commitment to sustainable harvesting.

The special accreditation means up to 98 per cent of the SPSG’s catches of almost 220,000 tonnes are now MSC certified. North Sea herring, North-East Atlantic mackerel and Atlanto-Scandian herring have already received accreditation, although the mackerel’s special status has been suspended amid the ongoing dispute between the EU and Norway and Faroe and Iceland over stocks.

Only seven per cent of the global fisheries have met MSC’s stringent standards.

The SPSG, which was established in 2007, represents all sides of the pelagic industry, from catching to processing and marketing.

Chairman John Goodlad was on hand to receive the award at the Seafood Scotland stand at the European Seafood Exposition.

Mr Goodlad, who is also chairman of Shetland Catch, said the “final piece in the jigsaw” showed the pelagic sector had travelled “an incredible journey” since the problems surrounding black fish landings were first highlighted seven years ago. Illegal landings were made at the Lerwick processing factory as part of the scandal.

Mr Goodlad insisted the sector had moved on from the “endemic culture” of over-fishing and was now “an exemplar” in sustainable fishing.

“With all the history in the Scottish pelagic sector of over-quota landings, it represents an incredible journey,” he said.

“We have gone well beyond that and with this accreditation are trying to demonstrate our commitment to sustainable fishing.”

Mr Goodlad added: “We are delighted that the whole of Scotland’s herring and mackerel industry has been able to be part of that club.

“The achievement of this certificate has given the pelagic industry a renewed sense confidence because it means we can go forward knowing our fisheries are among the best managed in the world.”

He added the industry “as a whole” had shown a commitment to achieving the prized status since 2005.

“The industry took the decision that, now over-quota fishing was out of the system, that we wanted to go down this route.”

Trawlers fitted with the latest refrigerated seawater tank systems harvest West of Scotland herring along the north coast of Scotland and out to the west of the Hebrides.

The UK is the largest stakeholder in this fishery with 59 per cent, and has a quota of 13,400 tonnes for 2012.  

The fishery takes place during the summer months, but mostly in August.

Mr Goodlad added: “SPSG is committed to environmental responsibility and it was within this context that we embarked upon a programme of sustainability all these years ago. The last piece in the sustainability jigsaw has now been secured and the Scottish pelagic industry is today rightly recognised a world leader in environmental responsibility.”

SPSG secretary Ian Gatt said the group would be working hard to ensure the North Sea herring can once again be given the eco-recognition when its accreditation runs out next year.

“Achieving certification for our West of Scotland herring fishery is a significant milestone for the group, which now means all our herring catches can be marketed utilising the MSC eco-label.

“Achieving this standard will also provide a major boost for the marketing of high-quality West of Scotland herring into prime markets. Although this completes the loop in terms of certifying all our main fisheries, the work does not finish here.

“The SPSG North Sea herring MSC certification expires in 2013, and in order to provide a seamless transition, SPSG will shortly be entering this fishery again for re-assessment.”

Claire Pescod of MSC said: “I’m delighted once again to be congratulating SPSG on what is now their third fishery certificate for herring.  I’m delighted that the MSC process supports a really strong case for their business in meeting the increasing market demand for certified seafood.

“This phenomenal drive for MSC certification across their herring fisheries typifies the SPSG’s long-standing commitment to demonstrably sustainable fishing.”

The government’s draft fisheries and aquaculture bill seeks to increase extra protection for wild species and the marine environment. Its consultation on the bill ended earlier this month amid widespread disquiet and fears that the bill could cost jobs, increase operating costs and introduce yet more bureaucracy on an already heavily regulated industry.

MSP Tavish Scott has received 200 letters and emails from employees, employers and local bodies, including Shetland Aquaculture. Its chairman David Sandison, who is also secretary of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO), said there was an “industry-wide sense of disappointment” about some of the bill’s “draconian” measures.

Fish farmers often find themselves complaining about EU regulation, Mr Sandison said, but these proposals were “entirely homemade” and did not tally with dialogue the industry has had with government in recent years.

Among the measures causing consternation are the prospect of on-the-spot fines of up to £10,000 for salmon farm employees who breach marine licences, and a requirement to divulge information which industry considers to be sensitive to the operation of commercial fish farms.

Mr Sandison said the SSPO had begun a significant campaign against the bill, which was a “pretty unprecedented reaction from an industry that’s probably been quite compliant and benign” to date. He stressed the SSPO wanted to be constructive about finding ways to change how industry operates.

One proposal is to force the industry to publish site-by-site reports of sea lice levels on a weekly basis. Mr Sandison said that was already done every month, but not publicised, and the government had been unable to explain why it feels such a move is necessary.

“The bill is going to increase our cost base, make us less competitive, threaten our ability to grow and increase exports, which is the big thing – in the grander scheme, that’s what we’re told is expected of this industry,” Mr Sandison added.

Mr Scott said government ministers rightly highlighted the importance of food and drink exports to the economy, but were giving no consideration to the damaging effects the bill could have on commercial salmon farming. The industry estimates the cost could be in excess of £20 million a year.

He pointed to figures showing that salmon exports grew by 20 per cent in 2011, with 25,000 tonnes coming from Shetland. “In order that the industry remains internationally competitive it does not need greater costs and risk uncertainty laid on it by the Scottish government,” he said.

Mr Scott said the legislation looked “unnecessary and counter-productive” because there were few of its clauses which could not be delivered by voluntary agreement. He also felt the consultation process had been inadequate.  

“This is a seriously flawed piece of Scottish government legislation which I believe needs to be completely reconsidered, both in terms of policy and impact. Two hundred letters in my constituency office confirm I am not alone.”

The government said it would give “careful consideration” to all submissions received during the consultation.

That’s the view of Scottish Fishermen’s Federation chief executive Bertie Armstrong, who today welcomed figures showing a 15 per cent increase in the value of landings in 2011 to £500 million.

Ironically mackerel, worth £164 million, was the main driver of the increase, according to Scottish fisheries minister Richard Lochhead.

He said: “It’s encouraging that the value of the Scottish catch has hit the highest level in a decade.”

“The seafood landed by our fishermen is increasingly sought after, with most prices on the up.

“The value of whitefish landings – led by cod, haddock and monkfish – was generally stable year-on-year, while a modest reduction in fleet size reflects trends towards greater productivity and higher landings value per vessel.

“With mackerel accounting for nearly a third of the overall total, it underlines how important this stock is to Scotland.

“That’s why the EU must urgently progress plans for sanctions to address the reckless overfishing of mackerel by Iceland and the Faroes. Otherwise this valuable fishery may not be there in the years to come.”

There were 54 fewer boats (2,096) based in Scotland last year than in 2010 and 231 fewer fishermen (5,005).

Mr Armstrong said: “We welcome the increase in the value of the catch landed by the Scottish fleet, which is good news for the industry and the Scottish economy as a whole.

“However, it would be wrong to conclude that all is well with the industry – for example on the international scene a chill wind is blowing in the shape of the gross over-fishing of the valuable north-east Atlantic mackerel stock by Iceland and the Faroes, which provides an uncertain future for our mackerel fishermen.

“For other fishing industry sectors, the figures also mask underlying problems such as increased operating costs and the continual tightening of control restrictions, particularly the number of days that vessels can put to sea. For example, all of our vessels are enduring dramatically increased fuel prices, which have a huge impact on profitability. Indeed, some whitefish skippers are reporting their highest ever turnover yet lowest ever levels of profitability because of this soaring fuel expenditure, combined with the ever increasing costs of leasing extra quota to try and make their boats viable.”

Click on image to enlarge

A Cullivoe-based creel and sea-angling boat with five people on board was at the centre of an emergency early this morning when she started taking on water.

The crew of the 10-metre Halcyon (LK 467) called Shetland Coastguard at 8.30am as they thought the situation was very serious. The coastguard scrambled the rescue helicopter and Lerwick lifeboat was launched and made its way to the vessel, which was fishing near Muckle Flugga, Unst. An emergency broadcast was sent out to alert vessels in the vicinity.

The Faroese ferry Norröna, which goes between Faroe and Denmark, was first on the scene and stood by. The fisheries protection vessel Jura also headed towards the Halcyon. Meanwhile the Halcyon‘s crew managed to pump the water out of the boat and anchored to await the arrival of assistance.

The Cullivoe-based motor vessel Oberon came out to assist and towed the Halcyon back to Cullivoe, escorted by the lifeboat. They were alongside at noon.

The Halcyon only came to Shetland two months ago for her owners, Yell Sound ferry skippers Richard Gray and Ian Nicholson. She is a glassfibre Cygnus-design craft.

The family-owned firm survived 27 years in the turbulent industry, producing some of the best quality fish while avoiding the sea lice problem which has plagued farms elsewhere.

Uyeasound Salmon had five licensed farm sites around the south end of Unst and sold an average of 1,000 tons of salmon a year, employing eight people including the three partners, Magnus and John Inkster and Ian Thomason.

Mr Thomason said they had started off with just 7,000 fish in two cages and grew to having 275,000 fish in 10 cages. The three partners were involved from the start.

He told The Shetland Times: “The whole thing has been successful and that’s mainly been down to the crew that we’ve had working with us. Some of them have been here since day one.”

Uyeasound Salmon operated next to Lakeland’s existing operation where Lakeland lost 12 cages filled with fish in a storm at Christmas. That incident aside, Lakeland said the waters off Unst had been one of its best-performing areas in recent years, both financially and operationally.

Lakeland is part of the Meridian Salmon Group, which is owned by Morpol, a Polish-Norwegian company which claims to be the world’s biggest processor of salmon.

Morpol’s global head of farming Pål Angell-Hansen said combining its business with Uyeasound Salmon should improve the company’s performance.

“We are very pleased to have finally managed to secure this operation,” he said. “Unst . . . is a very attractive area to operate in with good staff and very little sea lice.”

Most of the eight employees are not transferring to Morpol and several are retiring after what Mr Thomason described as “working 24/7 for the past 27 years”.

Among them is Mr Thomason and his wife Maureen, who ran the administrative side of the business. He said they had sold up to have more time to themselves. “It is just to get ourselves a bit of time to do the things that we’ve always wanted to do.”

The business managed to survive the frequent crises which finished off many other Shetland-owned farms down the years. Mr Thomason said the development that made the biggest difference to its operation was the new pier built by the council at Uyea­sound which meant the company no longer had to operate its boats from moor­ings in the sound. “It gave us safe berthing and made things a hell of a lot better.”

Unst salmon farms have benefited greatly from the lack of sea lice infestation, making them highly attractive to large-scale fish farming companies like Morpol. Uyeasound Salmon’s fish fetched a premium under the RSPCA’s Freedom Food endorsement in the UK and the Whole Foods Market organic brand in the United States market.

Mr Thomason said: “It was a family concern from day one and we always took a pride in producing a good quality product.”
Asked if Lakeland and Morpol had been trying to buy the firm for some time, he said: “They’ve mentioned it once or twice!”

It is just a year and a half since Morpol arrived in Shetland, buying up Lakeland and Mainstream Scotland to become one of the big three in the local industry alongside Scottish Sea Farms and Grieg Seafood Hjaltland.

Morpol has at least 17 per cent of the salmon farming capacity, producing 22,000 tonnes a year with another 7,000 tonnes in Norway.

The sale means the only locally owned salmon farms which still remain in production are Balta Island Seafare in Unst, Bound Skerries in Skerries and Thompson Brothers Salmon in Yell. The most recent one to sell up was Skelda Salmon, which was not growing fish at the time. It was bought by Grieg Seafood Hjaltland a year ago in a £2.2 million deal.

In a letter to The Shetland Times, a group of the isles’ fish merchants say the delay to their perishable products leads to customer dissatisfaction, making it harder to win future orders.

They also question the reason for NorthLink ferries being cancelled last week and dispute that it can have been for the weather. The fish buyers say the system is “failing to deliver” and sailings could have been diverted or re-timed to avoid cancellation. They say: “Our ferry service has become an embarrassment to customers. This is an unacceptable situation.”

At present the NorthLink service comprises one passenger and two freight vessels. Last week westerly gales were cited as the reason for cancellation of the freight sailings in both directions on Wednesday night and the southbound sailing on Thursday.

Fish buyer Karl Simpson of Simpson & Ward Ltd said the problem was a loss of customer confidence in Shetland produce rather than a financial one. On Thursday he had a consignment of fish to go to Boulogne in France but that order was cancelled. It had to be re-routed to another customer.

Mr Simpson said: “They know you’re trying to re-sell fish and it’s very difficult to get the price when that happens, it never goes up.” But the worst thing was the perception, he said. “It damages future orders because customers lose confidence in you. They lose respect in your ability to service them in future.”

Last Thursday, Mr Simpson said, NorthLink announced at 9am that the freight boat that night would be cancelled, which he said seemed like a “rash” decision. “I don’t know how they arrive at their decisions but I believe a boat of that size could have made the trip. There were no passengers on it [to suffer discomfort]. I feel that NorthLink is setting the bar lower and lower.

“I’m not suggesting they risk people’s lives but it’s not often not safe to make the journey. It [Arrow] is a large ocean-going ship, it should be built to withstand the weather. It went the night after when the weather was as bad if not worse, I was amazed. I couldn’t believe it.”

Mr Simpson does not feel the service compares well with ferries abroad. He said: “I made enquiries with the Faroese freight service. They confirmed that cancellations from the Faroe Islands to Denmark were very rare, less than five times per year. This year so far there have been no cancellations at all. The Faroes have arguably had worse weather than we have had lately.”

Andrew Hunter of ATH Fish said his company was in the same position. He said: “It’s caused a lot of problems. One big buyer is thinking of backing out because they can’t depend on supplies. It’s very serious.”

A spokesman for NorthLink said the company appreciated the importance of a reliable service for all customers. However, safety was always the paramount concern.

The spokesman said: “In this regard a vessel master is the only person who can, or should, decide whether they will sail or not. All vessels handle differently and, again, only an individual master can decide what is appropriate for their vessel.

“Those operating in the Shetland fish sector know that adverse weather impacts on our services and what they have sought in the past was advance warning when such an issue was likely to arise. We now have tried and tested systems in place to ensure that advance warning is provided.

“By direct means, via our own website or through the local media we issue regular operational bulletins to all of our customers. Last week, on the specific sailing to which you refer, we advised all freight customers on the day before of the potential cancellation. Then, on the day when the forecast weather materialised and the master decided that sailing was not possible, we advised all freight customers of the cancellation as early as was possible.”