Landing Fish
Landing the Catch
Communication is Key
Many of the skippers are members of a WhatsApp group where they share information such as date of return, their catch, the area they have fished and how many days they’ve been at sea. This is also shared with BTA who keep the information up to date.
This information is useful in helping the skippers decide on the best day to return to port to land their catch as quieter days can have a positive impact on the price of fish. It also helps BTA to plan staffing levels to cope with the large amounts landed which on busy nights can be up to 80 tons of fish!
Fresh from the Start
Each skipper heads towards the designated landing areas on the North side for the beamers and the inner harbour for the day boats. BTA landing staff will assist and BTA forklift drivers will collect the landed fish and take it to the refrigerated areas.
Sorted and Graded
The catch is then sorted and graded by species and weight, loaded into 40kg boxes and lightly iced to keep the temperature constant at around +2 degrees Celsius, prior to the auction.
Expertly Documented
Each box is then labeled with details including actual weight, the name of the boat the catch was landed from, and the day it was landed. The boxes of fish are then taken to the auction floor to be sold.