The Most Common Types of Fish people fish for in Scotland
There are a lot of different fish in the waters off of Scotland however from a commercial stand point there are only a few types that are important. This is mainly the result of consumer taste, they really only want a limited number of species. The result is that certain types of fish are caught much more commonly than others. This has led to some sustainability issues when it comes to Scottish fisheries.
Historically the most important types of fish that were caught in Scotland were salmon and herring. These were in wide abundance in the area and were very easy to catch. However years of over fishing resulted in the stocks running out and complete ban on catching of either fish. Salmon still remains fairly rare but the herring stocks have come back however it is not widely fished any more. Herring was widely eaten for centuries throughout Europe but tastes have changed and there is a very limited market for it now. Most of the fishermen who had been catching herring are now catching mackerel instead. This is now one of the most important types of fish caught in Scotland but the industry is highly centralized with a small number of large boats currently accounting for almost all of the catch.
The other type of fish that made up the bulk of the Scottish fishing industry in the past were haddock and cod. To a large extent these remain the most important fish that are caught in the area but the catch has been down substantially. This is again the result of over fishing which required that strict quotas be placed on these types. As a result of these quotas the haddock stock has started to come back and the quotas have been raised. The cod stock on the other hand has been slower to recover. The hope is that in a few years this will change and cod will again be a major part of Scottish fisheries. With proper management both haddock and cod should be able to be fished in a sustainable way.
As a result of the reduction in the number of haddock and cod that could be caught Scottish fishermen have started to fish for other species. One of these is the monkfish which until recently had not played an important role in commercial fishing in the area. However it is now the third most caught fish by Scottish fishermen. How long this remains the case is open to debate however as there are now sustainability issues being raised about the monkfish. It is likely that in the near future the quotas on it will have to be reduced to ensure that it doesn't become over fished. The hope is that by then the cod stocks have recovered so that quotas can be raised there.