Ullapool maintains its position as one of the ten major fishing ports in the UK. Nowadays it is mainly white fish and shellfish which are unloaded here. In 2008 UllapoolHarbour recorded landings worth around £11million, the Scottish element comprised over 75,000 boxes of mainly whitefish and squid from Rockall combined with winter monkfish landings. A regular stream of Anglo-Spanish liner and netters combined with a few French trawl landings added a further 55,000 boxes to the harbours tally. Weekly crab landings, daily prawn landings and seasonal scallop landings make up the remainder of Ullapools fishing portfolio. Ullapools continuing success as a fishing port is due to the facilities the harbour has to offer, with a large open pier available for net mending and warp checking along with fuel, water, tube ice and forklifts available 24/7, ships stores, maintenance welding and agency facilities are all available with advance booking. Road links to the east coast and continental markets are excellent with Scottish road haulage contractors offering very favourable rates for trucking fish from the harbour. The village has an excellent range of shops, supermarkets, pubs, cafes, coffee shops, restaurants and takeaways all within easy reach of the pier. Given the limited berthage available at peak times please give as much advance warning as possible to avoid disappointment.
In March and April 2009 the harbour welcomed the klondykerOcean Fresh in to block freeze blue whiting for human consumption in the Far East. The Ocean Fresh was serviced by 16 Norwegian pelagic trawlers and 3 reefer vessels that transhipped the product for export, in all 9000 tonnes of blue whiting was frozen onboard. Ullapool Harbour Trustees very much welcomed this additional new trade and are very keen for a repeat performance in 2010, particularly given the harbours rich and successful history of pelagic fishing and klondyking in years gone by.
