Sustainability - Commercial Fish Stocks
in Scotland
Key Findings
- In 2020, an estimated 69% of commercial fish stocks were fished at sustainable levels in Scottish waters. This represents an increase of 3 percentage points from 2019 and 35 percentage points from 2000. The percentage fished sustainably in 2020 is the highest level recorded since this data collection began (1991) and demonstrates the ongoing recovery of the commercial fish stocks.
- 31% of commercial fish stock are not being fished at a sustainable level and work is needed to understand this, for example could part of this be due to lack of data or are stocks genuinely not sustainable.
Figure 1: Commercial fish stocks fished at sustainable levels 1991 - 2020
Notes
Information on the calculations behind these figures can be found at:
Sustainability of Fish Stocks | National Performance Framework
Linked Information Sheets
Seafood Landings by Tonnage into the North East of Scotland - Employment in the fishing industry offshore - Employment in the fishing industry onshore - Markets for Seafood - Fraserburgh Harbour, Peterhead Harbour - Aberdeen Harbour - Small Harbours north of Aberdeen - Small Harbours South of Aberdeen - Status of key commercial species - Numbers of fishing vessels - Training - Employment - Mackerel line catch value
Key Sources of Information
Reviewed on/by
Status
Live - next update 08/01/2026
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Contact us
Telephone: 07971149117
E-mail: ian.hay@stateofthecoast.scot
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