Devon's Brixham fishing port named most valuable in England
A fishing port in Devon has been named the most valuable in England, with £36 million worth of fish landing through the port in 2019.
Figures published by the Marine Management Organisation showed that, last year, Brixham was the nation's number one for most valuable fishing ports.
Cuttlefish, scallops and plaice were the port’s biggest catches in 2019.
In Cornwall, Newlyn topped Brixham in terms of tonnage, yielding more than 4,000 tonnes.
Newlyn also saw £31.7 million worth of fishing coming through the harbour - making it the third most valuable fishing port in England.
Jim Portus, Brixham-based chief executive of the South Western Fish Producer Organisation, welcomed the figures but warned, “The Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 will have tested to the limit the resilience of fishing communities."
Mr Portus said Brixham was ‘alive and kicking’ despite the double jeopardy of Covid-19 and Brexit.
He said, "As hotels and restaurants closed their doors, so the flow of seafood to our valued customers slowed to a trickle.”
He also welcomed the government’s Covid-19 support package - the Fisheries Response Fund - which had been rolled out to the fishing and seafood sectors but, he said, “As with all schemes there were cracks through which some businesses fell.”
Domestic consumption of UK-caught and landed fish has risen, and the re-opening of bars and restaurants has also helped.
Jim Portus said, “These have been tremendously febrile times under the shadow of Covid-19 and through the negotiations of Brexit, but Brixham is alive, kicking and preparing to thrive.
“There are some wonderful plans already being considered for expansion and I for one am very excited for the future of the port and the region.”