Shetland's location, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the North Sea, means the waters surrounding the islands are home to some of the richest fishing grounds in the world. A successful fishing industry has grown over centuries and continues to be key part of the local economy.
Shetland is world-renowned and world-leading across a range of industries, ranging from the cutting edge to the traditional, from space to renewable energy and food and drink to knitting
But in one industry, perhaps more than any other, Shetland has been a leader for years, decades, and even centuries – the fishing sector.
Shetland has thrived, and the fishing industry remains integral to the local economy.
From the days of classic wooden sailing boats, powered by oar and sail, to the modern era, including a multi-million-pound pelagic fleet, Shetland has continued to set the standard for the rest of the world in fishing.
There are almost 260 fishing vessels in the isles – roughly one for every 93 people in Shetland. These boats range from smaller than 10 metres to impressive vessels as long as 82 metres.
With ever-changing industry regulations, catch quotas and a competitive marketplace, the fishing industry can be challenging. But throughout, Shetland has thrived, and the industry remains integral to the local economy.
This is partly due to the islands’ location and ocean conditions, which create an environment that supports the sustainable fishing of a varied range of species. But it is also due to the skill, bravery and enterprising mindset of Shetland fishing crews.
One of the biggest sectors in terms of economic output is the pelagic fleet – fishing for species that live in the open ocean, away from the ocean floor and shore. The Shetland-registered pelagic vessels are some of the most impressive in the entire fleet.
Two Whalsay-based pelagic companies are in the process of replacing their boats in the coming years, at a cost of almost £100 million, according to the Danish shipyard working on the upgrades.
Both the Serene and Antares are expected to be replaced in 2027 and 2028, respectively, as the fleet continues to be buoyant.
They are not alone in upgrading. A new Antarctic arrived in late 2024, with a 69.6 metre replacement coming with essential upgrades to ensure fish could be kept fresh for longer.
It also came with a television room and a cinema to ensure the crew are never left bored when they head off to sea.
Shetland’s pelagic fleet already contains some of the largest and most modern fishing vessels in Scotland, and the boats are primarily based in the island of Whalsay – one which is synonymous with fishing life.
Pelagic boats fish for species such as mackerel, herring and blue whiting, which are typically fished for seasonally, meaning the boats can sometimes be tied up for months at a time as they wait for the next window. When they do go fishing the catches are impressive with tonnes of fish landed.
The Scottish Fishermen’s Association estimates that Shetland boats landed £64 million worth of pelagic fish in 2019, landing over 69,000 tonnes in total.
While the pelagic fleet tends only to fish at certain times of year, Shetland’s whitefish boats are out on the water all year round.
By far the biggest fleet in the local sector, the whitefish fleet are after fish that live at the bottom of the sea – like cod, haddock, monkfish and whiting.
These boats are typically much smaller than the pelagic fleet, usually between 10 and 30 metres long, and can catch many different species while out at sea.
Their smaller size makes the whitefish fleet more adept and agile, meaning they can go out to sea far more frequently, but also leaves them susceptible to the changeable Shetland weather, meaning they may not be able to go fishing for weeks at a time.
Shetland’s final sector within the fishing industry is the inshore fleet, which focus entirely on shellfish such as crabs, scallops and lobsters.
These are the smallest boats in the isles’ waters and can be crewed single-handedly.
Despite their diminutive size, shellfish fishing is big business for Shetland. In 2019, the value of landings in the isles was £6 million for the local economy.
Every single one of these boats – from pelagic to shellfish – will land their catches in either the capital town Lerwick or nearby Scalloway if they are fishing off the isles.
They do this with Shetland Seafood Auctions, a company formed in 1998 with the specified aim of maximising the value available to local fishermen.
To do this, they launched an electronic auction in 2003 with the view of improving the supply and demand for whitefish landed in the isles by allowing people to buy from the market without being physically in Shetland.
Since then, the value of landings at the markets have increased more than fivefold, with the average price received for all species almost doubling from £1.25 to £2.40.
Such has been the speedy progress of the markets that both the Lerwick and Scalloway buildings required significant upgrades over the last 10 years, with investments at both ports running into millions of pounds.
The then-Prince, now King Charles, opened the two fish markets at a ceremony in 2021. At the time, HRH paid tribute to the efforts of all involved in the industry and praised the number of fish landed in the islands.
He said that more fish passed through Shetland than England, Northern Ireland, and Wales put together, calling that “amazing”.
That trend continues and is confirmed by the latest statistics, which show that 64,000 tonnes, with a total value of almost £100m were brought ashore in Shetland in 2023. The only port where more fish were landed was the port of Peterhead on the north coast of Scotland.
Shetland vessels also landed fish at ports other than Shetland, with the local fleet taking fish ashore in 2023 that totalled around 102,000 tonnes and £93.3 million.
Those figures help explain why fishing is still one of the most popular, and potentially lucrative, careers for Shetlanders to pursue, like generations before them.
From grandfathers and great-grandfathers who went off whaling in South Georgia, away from home for months at a time, in the early 20th century, to the modern-day fishermen who leave school and go straight to sea, fishing always has and likely always will hold an important place at the heart of the isles’ job market.
For some men and women in Shetland, fishing is all they have ever known. They may join their family boat straight out of education and never leave until they retire.
Shetland also boasts an abundance of fish in its seas, which also means there is always plenty of work for those who want it.
It’s these factors, and Shetland’s love of fishing and the sea, which keep the isles at the forefront of the fishing sector nationally and globally.