Harbour News 1 – 15 December, 10 arrivals for the period
Ullapool Harbour Trust continues to operate during the Covid-19 pandemic; supporting vital transport links to the Western Isles and handling routine fishing and commercial traffic. Harbour services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the harbour can be contacted by phone, email and VHF. Strict social distancing and hygiene measures are in place with restricted access to the harbour building which remains locked at all times.
Whitefish totalled 3,000 boxes from three Scottish trawl and one Anglo-French long-line landing. The Inverness-registered Adventurer II working west of Lewis made three landings of mainly monkfish, cod and squid from the shelf edge, and the long-liner Croix Morand landed a boatload of hake and ling from deep-water.
Shellfish activities remain quiet. There was a single call from a visiting prawn trawler, an offshore scallop landing combined with the local fleet’s efforts.
Non-fishing was quiet – three fish farm support vessels called in for fuel and layovers and the MCA tug Ievoli Black called in for a crew change.
2020 Fishing Summary
Scottish Whitefish 174 landings Top Scottish Whitefish Adventurer 34 landings
Anglo Spanish 90 landings Top Anglo Spanish Whitefish S Revuelta 8 landings
2020 was a challenging year for all sectors with some such as cruise and leisure completely wiped out by the global pandemic. The ferry was forced into running a reduced service during lockdown but thankfully returned to normal service for the busier summer months. Despite restrictions the Scottish whitefish vessels had a very good year with landings and arrivals up 9%. Vessels started fishing for haddocks in February and continued right up to November when the weather finally beat them. The Anglo fleet effort was 27% down on the previous year with vessels working further north. Likewise the shellfish sector was much quieter with very limited market opportunities and little to no export of shellfish to China. With Brexit looming who knows what the future holds for the fishing sector; whatever happens supply chains will look completely different in 2021 guaranteeing tough times ahead.
Sponsorship and donations continued with 2% of the gross profit distributed to various local initiatives including Gaelic Nursery, Isle Martin, LBCC play parks, Lochbroom House, Primary School, High School and Village Hall. Harbour calendar sales and various in-year donations will be amassed for a bonanza Tall Ship sail training opportunity in 2021 all being well.
Scrap Metal is routinely collected throughout the year with all funds raised going direct to Ullapool Museum. In late 2020 these funds were diverted to Gino’s Cantina a wonderful facility set up to feed 130 Romanian orphans. Well done to Effie Mackenzie for bringing this to the attention of the village and to all of you that donated your scrap. To date £1,650 has been raised to add to £2,487 donations to Just Giving, well done Ullapool. Many thanks to Kenny MacLean for the use of his skips, to the harbour boys for collecting the treasure and to Highland Clearances for giving us an above market price.
There is no doubt 2020 has been a year like no other, but despite COVID the harbour has remained open for business every day of the year. Staff have adapted to conditions and despite the risks have tied up ferries and landed boats as required. Likewise Calamc shore and ship staff have done an amazing job keeping the service running day after day, well done to you all. On behalf of Ullapool Harbour Trustees and staff I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our customers, tenants and stakeholders a very Merry Christmas and our very best wishes for a happy, healthy and COVID-free 2021.