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Friday, 6 March 2026

Fish auction news for the week in Newlyn.


Monday, March 2nd

  • Market Overview: A high-volume start to the week with over 39,771 kg of fish traded for a total value of £226,988.83. The average price per kilogram across all species was £5.71.

  • Key Species:

    • Mediterranean Octopus (Pot Caught): The clear winner in value, bringing in £74,077.78 (over 10 tonnes at £7.20/kg).

    • MSC Hake: Dominant in volume with nearly 14 tonnes sold at an average of £4.95/kg.

    • Monkfish (Monk or Anglers): Fetched a high price of £14.00/kg.

  • Trends: The market opened with strong volume, particularly in "high-bulk" species like Hake and Octopus, which together made up the majority of the day's turnover.

Tuesday, March 3rd

  • Market Overview: Volume cooled significantly to 17,294 kg, with a total value of £94,492.98. The average price dipped slightly to £5.46/kg.

  • Key Species:

    • MSC Hake: Overtook Octopus as the highest-value species for the day (£38,297.46), though the price dropped slightly to £4.68/kg.

    • John Dory: Saw a noticeable volume but at a lower average price of £8.76/kg compared to the previous day’s high-end premium.

  • Trends: Mid-week cooling was evident as both volume and value were less than half of Monday’s peak. Prices for Hake remained under pressure due to consistent supply.

Wednesday, March 4th

  • Market Overview: The quietest day of the week, with volume falling to 7,596 kg and a total value of £40,416.46. Average price held steady at £5.32/kg.

  • Key Species:

    • Mediterranean Octopus: Remained the primary value driver (£17,240.85), with prices incredibly consistent at £7.23/kg.

    • Wings (Blonde): Emerged in the top five value species, fetching £6.43/kg.

  • Trends: Despite the low volume, the "base" species like Octopus and Hake continued to provide the backbone of the auction's value.

Thursday, March 5th

  • Market Overview: A "quality over quantity" day. While volume was moderate (14,027 kg), the total value spiked to £111,016.75 because of a surge in premium fish. This pushed the average price up to a weekly high of £7.91/kg.

  • Key Species:

    • Dover Sole: A massive day for Sole, accounting for over £58,000 in value (nearly 3.5 tonnes). Prices remained strong at £16.98/kg.

    • Lemon Sole: Also saw a value boost, contributing £3,520.90 to the day's total.

  • Trends: The arrival of significant quantities of Dover Sole completely shifted the market dynamics, driving the average price per kilo up by nearly 50% compared to previous days.


Weekly Summary

The week was characterised by a strong, high-volume opening followed by a mid-week lull, ending with a high-value flourish on Thursday.

  • Total Weekly Volume: 78,689 kg

  • Total Weekly Value: £472,915.03

  • Average Weekly Price: £6.01/kg

Overall Trends:

  1. Consistency in Octopus: The Mediterranean Octopus (Pot Caught) was the most reliable performer of the week, maintaining a price point between £7.20 and £7.24/kg regardless of volume fluctuations.

  2. The "Sole" Surge: Thursday’s auction was transformed by the influx of Dover Sole, which proved that even with lower overall volume than Monday, high-value premium species can significantly bolster the market's bottom line.

  3. Hake Stability: MSC Hake provided the most significant volume throughout the first three days, with prices remaining remarkably stable between £4.68 and £4.95/kg, proving its status as a staple of the auction.