116 arrivals for the period
Whitefish totalled 21,900 boxes from fifteen Scottish trawlers, six Anglo long-liners and 2 Anglo freezer netters. The Scottish effort is mainly concentrated at Rockall for haddocks, monkfish and cod, in previous years squid have also contributed but this year they have been largely absent from the grounds. Loligo squid are a very valuable by-catch that live for only three years spawning once in that time. Their appearance in large shoals is unpredictable and for the past couple of years they have been missing in action at Rockall which seems to be the case again this year. The majority of Scottish trawlers will be heading east at the end of the month for their annual refits and some will return in the autumn. The Anglo fleet likewise have been fishing west for a number of months and many are heading home for their summer breaks.
Shellfish activity has been much busier than usual in 2025 with a fleet of both east and west coast prawn trawlers fishing the Minches with decent results. A total of sixty one visiting vessels landed which combined with the local prawn and lobster effort. In addition there was a single landing from a scallop dredger.
Non-fishing was a mixed bag with the usual frenetic aquaculture activity combining with five scheduled cruise ship calls and some beautiful yachts and tallships. The Boy Leslie (pictured), built in 1911 for fishing, had a distinguished career before being sold to Norway. In recent times she received significant funding and is now a fully restored sailing training ship and visited Ullapool with trainees before heading to Aberdeen for the Tall ships races. The Flying Dutchman built in 1903 as a herring drifter now runs charter trips in Scotland and called in prior to departing for Orkney, Fair Isle and Shetland, returning to Ullapool at the end of the month.
Harbour projects continue with the damaged fender works ongoing and requiring the services of divers to cut and restore the two damaged piles. The Caley building has been in harbour ownership for a decade after being purchased from the receivers of the previous owners Northern Oils. The building is in very poor repair and given its former use as an oil and fuel store, ground investigation is being carried out to inform what happens next. The harbour would like to restore the building but in the first instance we need to understand if there is significant legacy pollution under the foundations which may impact any proposed development.