55 arrivals for the period
Whitefish totalled 24,600 boxes from thirteen Scottish trawlers, eighteen Anglo Spanish long-liners and two Anglo freezer netters. Fishing for haddocks and latterly squid at Rockall continues to exceed all expectations with boats landing full loads every ten days or so. Likewise, the Anglo fleet has enjoyed spectacular hake and ling fishing on the shelf edge west of the Butt of Lewis.
The shellfish sector is slowly starting to pick up; there were ten landings from visiting prawn trawlers which combined with the effort of the local fleet.
Non-fishing was busy. There were fourteen arrivals from various sectors for the period. The coastguard tug Ievoli Black and the fishfarm support ships Inter Caledonia, Eidholm, Aqua Senior, Volt Processor and Kiera Fiona called in for fuel, crew changes and layovers. Cruise ship scheduled visits were from Variety Voyager (who visited twice) and Hebridean Princess plus Star Pride (pictured) diverted from Portree due to the north east wind. Tall Ship Blue Clipper returned to the harbour on her way north to Iceland. Northern Lighthouse ship Pole Star called in to drop off and collect buoys.
Finally Cromarty Queen collected a stack of scour mats for Badentarbet Pier which completed essential refurbishment works to allow the pier to reopen. Many thanks to Summer Isles Enterprises for subletting the pier from Highland Council and financing the rebuild of this much loved community asset.