WHITELINK Seafoods, the fish processor, has recorded a near 50 per cent increase in profits following strong growth in sales.

Accounts for the business obtained by The Herald from Companies House show Whitelink made £547,000 pre tax profit in the year to 30 June, up 47 per cent on the £371,000 achieved the previous year.

Fraserburgh-based Whitelink grew sales by 19 per cent, to £54.6 million, from £45.9m.

Writing in the accounts, directors of Whitelink said: "The directors consider this to be a good set of results given the performance of the industry over the period."

In April last year official figures showed the value of fish and shellfish landed by Scottish boats dropped by 8 per cent annually, to £429m, in 2013. The quantity landed remained largely the same indicating prices fell.

The Scottish Fishermen's Federation, said at the time the alarming drop in the quayside value of seafood landed underlined the tremendous pressures faced by the fishing fleet. It said demand had failed to increase in line with the global recovery.

Whitelink was founded in 1974 by fisherman James Sutherland.

It has buyers in Scottish markets and export offices in France and Germany .

The average monthly number of employees at the company increased to 160 in the year to June from 136 in the preceding year. The number of factory workers rose to 118 from 100. Management and office staff numbers increased to 42 from 36.