Number of direct jobs: 46 full time and 7 part time. Total 49.5 full time equivalents
Estimated Number of indirect jobs*: 94.3
(* Indirect employment effect multiplier of 1.9048 used (source The Scottish Office 1995))
Loch Torridon is the base for a number of mostly small two-man operated creel boats that fish mainly for prawns. The fishery audit (Appendix III) summarises a survey of 21 vessel owners, of whom 85% responded to the study. There are 46 persons directly employed in fishing with 7 additional part time workers in shore based processing work.
The study was aimed at gauging the overall production and economic importance of the loch to the local communities and as such the sample of vessels surveyed reflected the type of locally-based vessels. The study acknowledges the lack of input from the trawl sector, but this is due to the overwhelming majority of local boats fishing for prawns with creels. In the local fishery office area the total number of licenced fishing vessels is 136 of which 111 are creel boats and 101 of these are under 10 metres. There are 18 under-10-metres trawlers and 6 trawl boats over 10 metres.
Creel-caught prawns make up a substantial part of the value of the Torridon catch which has varied from 104,900 kg to roughly half of that during the last four years. Other important species landed are crabs, scallops and periwinkles, although the value of these catches is much less than that of the prawn landings. Live prawns generally command a higher price than do tailed prawns. In 1997 the value in Torridon was £4.28/kg for live, whole prawns and £3.40/kg for tailed product.
Recently a co-operative has been established in the area to process and ship locally-caught prawns directly to European markets. This business should provide additional local employment and add value to the catch whilst retaining more of the downstream income in the local economy.
This study was commissioned before the 1998 triennial review of the Inshore Fisheries Act which was initially established to protect spawning herring stocks. In late 1998 there was significant media interest in `gear conflict' issues in both the local and national fishing press.
Local fishing boat owners indicate that they feel the loch is fished to its present capacity and there are too many creels in use. However their main concern relates to access to the loch by boats trawling for prawns. They have expressed a wish for a year-round closure and they would consider reducing creel numbers which would allow continued exploitation at a sustainable level. It is also their wish that access to the loch be allowed only to local boats to ensure that fishing remains an essential part of the local economy. This is the main recommendation of the fishery audit.
The study has also identified some major factors that require to be discussed in order that a consensus view on future management be obtained. Any proposed changes to management will need to balance local and wider interests and business development issues with important natural heritage values and other environmental constraints regarding the long term use of the loch by both the local residents and those from elsewhere.
