The Scottish Fishermen's Organisation was recognised as a producers' organisation in 1973, following the United Kingdom's accession to the then European Economic Community.
According to European legislation, producers' organisation should undertake 2 main functions:
the marketing of their members' catches
the management of fisheries subject to quota arrangements
The Scottish fishing industry is a key player in the provision of high quality of seafood to many of the world's most important markets for seafood. World sales have been increasing by around 2.5 per cent annually in recent years and it is estimated that annual demand will grow from the current level of around 70 million tonnes to 90 million in the next decade.
The members of the Organisation catch all types of fish including pelagic species (herring, mackerel, sprats), demersal species (cod, haddock, saithe, whiting, plaice, megrims, monkfish, sole, skate, turbot and other bottom feeding fish) and shellfish (crabs, lobsters, nephrops, scallops and shrimps).