Scott calls for tough talking on fish quotas (Dumbarton Liberal Democrats)

Dumbarton Liberal Democrats <arjmorton@yahoo.co.uk>

Scott calls for tough talking on fish quotas

December 9, 2010 4:10 PM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

Shetland MSP, Tavish Scott, is calling on the Scottish Government to go to the December Fisheries Council and argue hard for a better deal for Scotland's fishermen, after an analysis of the impact of the outcome of the recent EU-Norway negotiations showed that they would hit Shetland boats hard.

Tavish Scott said;

"I'm very concerned that the Scottish Government has signed up to a tough deal for 2011. The Scottish Fisheries Minister has welcomed the outcome of the EU/Norway talks. But the Shetland whitefish fleet will not be helped by this agreement as the Scalloway Fisheries College assessment makes clear. Our Government must now argue for a better deal at the December Fisheries Council, the monkfish quota being particularly important, otherwise the 2011 fishing year looks very hard indeed."

The analysis of the outcome of the EU-Norway negotiations was carried out by the NAFC Marine Centre in Scalloway and showed that the three key species which face quota cuts, cod, haddock and saithe, have in the past made up over 40% of the value of the Shetland whitefish fleet's landings, so that the cuts will have a significant effect on the fleet's income. The report also questions the effectiveness of the Scottish Government's 'Catch Quotas' scheme in helping boats, backing up the Scottish Fishermen's Federation view that the system as proposed is not workable in a mixed fishery.

Some key quotas remain to be agreed at the Fisheries Council meeting, the most important one for Shetland being that for monkfish, which makes up a third of the value of the Shetland fleet's catch, where the European Commission is proposing a 15% cut in the quota.