Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s (Friday) Fisheries Council in Brussels, Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said:
“Many complex regulations will be discussed in Brussels, potentially setting the rules for our fishermen for a number of years to come. Any new measures must be workable and effective for the industry and the stocks that we have worked so hard to rebuild in recent years.
“Despite having to cope with the worldwide recession and complex regulations from Brussels, most of Scotland’s fleets have again stepped up to the plate on conservation this year. We will be pressing hard to ensure that the industry’s willingness to improve sustainability does not go unrewarded.
“Top of our list of priorities is cutting our fishermen on the West Coast some much-needed slack. If the right deal can be struck we are confident it will improve the future viability of the industry and fish stocks. We are determined to fight for measures that will ensure sustainable whitefish fleets and protect our valuable nephrops fisheries. Any solutions must fit with our circumstances, not the convenience of Brussels.
“So far the process has been unacceptable, rushed through to comply with the introduction of the Lisbon Treaty. The decision by the Commission to deal with so much technical detail with little time for consultation is another example of the EU micro-management we want to move away from.
“While we are keen to secure the fairest possible deal for Scotland, all of our key objectives must be met. We will not accept technical rules that will hit the industry’s viability.”
November Council will primarily be focused on negotiating a new Technical Conservation Regulation to simplify existing rules. It’s a highly complex piece of legislation that prescribes the mesh size and gear types that vessels are allowed to use and additional selectivity requirements such as square mesh panels and minimum landing sizes for a number of species.
