Wednesday, 15th December 2010
Brussels quotas ‘slowly strangling Scots fishermen’
Scots Tory MEP Struan Stevenson today called for “root and branch reform” of the Common Fisheries Policy following the latest Brussels “body blow” for Scottish fishermen.
Speaking following the conclusion of the EU Fisheries Council’s talks to set stock quotas for next year, Mr Stevenson, who is senior vice-president of the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee, said:
“The Fisheries Council in Brussels has ended once again with a predictable body blow to Scotland's fishing sector.
“Our fishermen long ago stopped believing in Santa Claus, but the range of cuts imposed by Brussels again this year will make it another bleak Christmas for our beleaguered fishing communities.
“Scottish fishermen are surrounded. On one side they have Iceland and the Faroes taking gigantic and unjustifiable quotas from the shared mackerel stock. On the other, they have a Brussels regime which seems intent on slowly strangling them to death.”
Mr Stevenson added that “heroic” negotiations by the UK and Scottish Fisheries Ministers had softened some of the worst blows. An intended 15% cut in monkfish quota in the West of Scotland was reduced to only 2% while megrim quota was increased by 10% on the West coast and 5% in the North Sea.
However, the scientists' demand for a 25% cut in West Coast haddock and 15% cuts in West Coast prawns were implemented, seriously impacting on the future viability of the Scottish whitefish fleet.
Mr Stevenson added:
“The fact that these tortuous negotiations went on until 05.00am, when everyone was exhausted, further underlines the complete inadequacy of the current system of fisheries management.
“Once again the need for an urgent and total root and branch reform of the Common Fisheries Policy has been reinforced.
“Day to day management of our fisheries must be devolved to the Member States so that they can involve the fishermen themselves in devising the most appropriate management plans for their stocks.
“Micro-management from Brussels has been a disaster and has to stop. Unfortunately, with these most recent cuts, reform may come too late for some Scottish fishermen.”
