The Shetland Fishermen’s Association has hit out at the deal struck at this week’s December Council, stating that while there are some positive outcomes for whitefish, the same does not apply to the pelagic sector.
Chairman Leslie Tait said that European fisheries ministers had rubber-stamped a cut in the pelagic sector’s mackerel quota that he described as absurd, commenting that this again demonstrates the worst of EU fisheries management.
He said that fishermen look forward to the day when the UK took control of its own waters.
‘We are sick and tired of the political horse-trading over fishing opportunities that goes on every year,’ he said.
‘This has nothing to do with proper fisheries management. We need to get out of the Common Fisheries Policy on Brexit Day One and start making sensible decisions as soon as we can. The day cannot come soon enough when the UK can assert control over its waters and negotiate as an independent Coastal State from a position of strength.’
