UK Sea Fisheries 2023
January 2025
Introduction
Each year the MMO publishes an annual report on UK sea fisheries. This year we have produced this StoryMap to present our geographic data in an interactive way.
The data presented comes from our underlying dataset, published here: UK sea fisheries annual statistics report 2023 - GOV.UK
If you like this product, please let us know. Get in touch at statistics@marinemanagement.org.uk.
Landings by Sea Area
This is the geographic data the MMO collects on the activity of vessels at sea - where the UK fleet catches their fish.
Quantity of Landings by Area of Capture
Click on the map to discover more about the proportions of species groups caught.
Fish are commonly split into three groups of similar species.
Demersal fish inhabit the bottom of the ocean. Key demersal species fished by the UK fleet include cod and haddock.
Pelagic fish inhabit the water column (not near the seabed or shore). The two main pelagic species fished by the UK fleet are mackerel and herring.
Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. scallops, whelks) and crustaceans (e.g. crabs and nephrops).
Landings of Fish Species Groups by ICES Rectangle
What is an ICES rectangle?
The International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) standardise the division of sea areas for analysis. Each ICES statistical rectangle is 30 min latitude by 1-degree longitude, which is approximately 30 nautical miles by 30 nautical miles. Note that the area of ICES rectangles varies because the Earth is a sphere.
ICES rectangles are amalgamated to create ICES areas.
The maps below give insights into landings by the UK fleet in 2023, reported by ICES rectangle. The left side shows live weight (in tonnes), the right side shows value (in £ million). Use the buttons under the maps to switch between species group. Click on the maps and scroll to change the extent of the maps, click the home button to return to the original extent.
Landings by Port and Country
This is the geographic data the MMO collects on where vessels land the fish they have caught.
Landings by UK Port
Landings data is collected for all ports in the UK. The Top 20 Ports for landings by the UK and foreign fleet are reported here in further detail.
Scroll down to see further information.
These are the Top 20 Ports in the UK in 2023 by the quantity of landings (kt).
Click on each port to see a breakdown of the catch by species group.
And here we have the Top 20 Ports in the UK in 2023 by the value of landings (millions of pounds sterling).
Click on each port to see a breakdown of the catch by species group.
Fleet Landings by Country
UK Fleet landings in countries abroad (left) and foreign fleet landings in the UK (right) by quantity.
We want UK Sea Fisheries Statistics to better serve its audience by being more accessible and insightful. Let us know what you think about this StoryMap by contacting statistics@marinemanagement.org.uk.
