Coastal settlement typology - Scotland 2016 - Peripheral fishing and port towns

The peripheral fishing and port towns layer consists of 53 coastal localities characterized as fishing and port towns with varying degrees of demographic change. This is characterized on the basis of their census based socio-economic and demographic characteristics. This is the second stage of a based on a two-stage cluster analysis of coastal localities (defined as within 2 kilometres of the coast) with populations of greater than 1000 (for reasons of confidentiality).

These places have been characterised with higher employment in fishing/water and construction than the coastal average. Part Time and Self-employment are above coastal average perhaps reflecting the artisan fishing and smaller fleets that occupy these harbour towns. This is consistent with skilled trade. There is evidence of deprivation with higher than coastal average scores at household level. The population is ageing with more ‘one person households’ than found elsewhere.

Localities around Inverness, the North‐West Highlands, and the Scottish island populations are growing but have socially homogenous populations. In contrast, stretches of the coast with traditional fishing localities have experienced overall population decline. Examples include the East Neuk of Fife and the Firth of Clyde.