Calls to avoid sale of Stornoway Fish Co-op

Stornoway Fishermen’s Co-operative has become an island institution since it was formed in 1978 to break the monopoly of external companies and place control in the hands of local fishermen.

Its current secretary, Malcolm Campbell, told the Gazette: “We’re hoping to put it up for sale. There is no fleet left and not many people. At the moment, there are eight shareholders, six directors with voting rights and only three sea-going directors.

“The fish-selling side wasn’t making money and we have offloaded that to an Ullapool company. However, the chandlery side is doing very well and it is still a healthy business.

“We will eventually be selling but it’s not easy, trying to sell a co-op. We have to follow the Financial Conduct Authority rules and regulations.

“Discussions about this have been going on for a long time but we now have no choice in the matter. The basic problem is that there are not enough people left to run the place”.

John Nicolson, who was a driving force behind the Co-op’s formation in the late 1970s and its manager thereafter, said: “When we look back to the work that went into forming it and the people no longer with us, this would be a very sad ending that should be avoided if at all possible”.

He said ten of the original shareholders had contacted the current directors to seek a meeting to discuss what might be done but they had not received a response. “I think they need to broaden the discussion”, he added.

Mr Nicolson recalled that in the original constitution, provision was made for the value of assets to be divided between local charities, including Bethesda and Stornoway Lifeboat, if the Co-op ever went out of existence.

The Co-op chandlery operates from premises leased from the Stornoway Harbour Authority on King Edward’s Wharf. It stocks a huge range of products from workwear to inflatable boats and claims: “Whether you are looking for engine oil or a wetsuit, if it’s nautically based we’ll have it”.