The annual European tussle over fishing quotas gets underway today (Monday).
The outcome of this year’s December Fisheries Council is set to be different from previous years, however, with final quotas for stocks such as North Sea cod and North Sea haddock not decided due to the delay in the EU-Norway talks.
Speaking from Brussels, Mr Lochhead said:
“Once again we head into these talks determined to strike the best deal for our fishermen and our seas. This Council promises another extremely tough round of negotiations set against a very challenging economic backdrop.
“They also present an additional challenge as last week’s failure to conclude the EU-Norway talks means many quotas will not be finalised until those talks resume in the new year. The quota for our most valuable stock – prawns – will be decided, along with monkfish and megrim, but cod, haddock and mackerel quotas will not.
“That does not mean boats will not be able to fish in the new year. Interim arrangements will be put in place at the Council to ensure fishermen will be able to continue making a living.
“Our priority this week is to find the right balance between conserving stocks and supporting the industry. The two are not mutually exclusive – our fishermen have already shown they can lead the way on conservation and if we can find a way to let them land more of what they catch while reducing their overall fishing effort, we can reduce discards, boost profitability and help our seas.”
