The volume and wholesale value of fish landings in Malta and Gozo advanced by 83.6 and 70.9 per cent during the first quarter over the comparative period last year, the National Statistics Office said today.
Fresh fish landings by Gozitan fishermen increased by 32.1 per cent over the comparative period last year. This was mainly due to higher Swordfish and Bogue landings of 303.6 and 314.9 per cent respectively.
In volume terms, Gozitan fish landings comprised 16.2 per cent of total landings, generating 94,148 in wholesale value. This resulted in an increase of 39.8 per cent over the first quarter last year.
Fish landings in Malta and Gozo during the first quarter amounted to 108,947 kilograms, an increase of 83.6 per cent over the comparative period last year, on account of favourable weather conditions prevailing this year.
Swordfish and Dog-Fish landings, the main species caught during the period under review, advanced by 271.0 and 29.8 per cent respectively. Similarly, the wholesale value of fish landings rose by 70.9 per cent to 630,301.
During the period under review, Maltese fishermen landed 91,305 kilograms (+98.6 per cent) of fresh fish, amounting to 83.8 per cent of total landings. These landings mainly comprised Swordfish (+266.0 per cent) and Dog-Fish (+74.9 per cent). The wholesale value of fresh fish landings by Maltese fishermen advanced by 77.9 per cent to 536,153.
The quarterly All Items’ fresh fish price index for the first quarter stood at 112.08 points, down by 2.62 points (-2.28 per cent) over the comparative period in 2013. The increase in the supply of fresh fish was reflected in the quarterly All Items’ fresh fish volume index, at 33.44 points, up by 83.6 per cent in the first quarter this year.
2014 Gozo News.Com