The north-east of Scotland is now the most important seafood processing centre in the UK, according to new research.
The boom in the sector was revealed in a new study led by Aberdeenshire Council and Scottish Enterprise.
At a summit yesterday, leaders from the fish processing industry met with councillors in Peterhead.
The study, conducted by Fraserburgh-based BDA Plus, found that the number of seafood processing businesses in the region has grown to 78, with 3,964 staff employed in the industry.
It has now overtaken Humberside given the level of firms now operating in the north-east and the number of people they employ.
However BDA Plus warned that processing firms needed to be more forward thinking, particularly if the UK successfully negotiates higher quotas with the European Union and increases the quantity of fish landed.
Speaking yesterday, BDA consultant Ian Moir explained that the north-east fishing industry needs to develop a long-term strategy.
He said: “Nobody thinks far ahead and nobody sets aspirations. It needs to be exciting, but it needs to be achievable.
“There’s no point in it looking good on paper if it’s not possible. We have a lot of this in place already and the ability to do the rest – the next question is when and by whom.”
Mr Moir and his colleagues said the multi-million pound redevelopment of Peterhead harbour and improved logistics with the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route would help businesses.
His team also proposed improving communication between skippers and processors to ensure a regular supply of stock and encouraging more young people to train in the fishing sector would sustain the industry.
Aberdeenshire Council leader Jim Gifford said: “The fish processing industry is of huge importance to the north-east of Scotland and now has a bigger economic footprint than Humberside with excellent prospects for future growth.
“This study is a solid base for the development of future strategy which could transform the seafood industry in the north-east into Scotland’s Seafood Centre of Excellence.”
The majority of the north-east’s 78 fish processing firms deal with white fish such as cod and haddock, with 27 based in either Peterhead or Fraserburgh.