The inshore creel fishing sector focuses mainly on the following target species. Prawns are currently the most valuable species to the Scottish economy.

Lobster Homarus gammarus

Value – £9.7 million in 2011

Lobsters live on rocky substrate, normally to around 60m in depth. The lobster fishery has been in existence for hundreds of years. Ancient lobster ‘ponds’ can be found around some of the Scottish coast, a good example can be seen at Bernera on Lewis. These ponds were built using submerged dykes in tidal lagoons to enable fishermen to keep their catch alive until it was time to sell.

Brown crab (or Edible crab) Cancer pagarus

Value - £6.2 million in 2011

Brown crab live on hard and soft ground. The brown crab fishery is established but has been increasing rapidly over the past 30 years as developments in technology have allowed off shore fisheries to become established.

Velvet crab (or Swimming crab) Necora puber

Value - £4.6 million in 2011

The velvet crab is so called because of the velvet like texture of its shell. It can swim freely through the water, but is normally found on rocky substrata. The velvet crab fishery has been developed relatively recently to supply continental markets as their own fisheries have been depleted. This is a seasonal fishery with most landings occurring between July and November.

Prawn (or Norway lobster, Langoustine, Dublin Bay Prawn, or Scampi) Nephrops norvegicus

Value - £42 million in 2011

Prawns live in U shaped burrows in soft sediment and are targeted by trawlers and creel fishermen. Currently most creel caught prawns are exported and sold alive. In comparison, most trawled prawns are ‘tailed’ and are sold into the bulk scampi and paella market. As a result, creel caught live prawns can command a much higher price than trawled prawns. SCFF believes this is a better way of exploiting the fishery as fewer are caught but generate high revenues for fishermen.

Fishing with creels ensures that shellfish caught are fresh and in pristine condition; this allows creel fishermen to market a premium product that they can be proud of.

For more information on the main shellfish species targeted see –
Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2011

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