The over-riding aim of all Scottish fishermen is to ensure a sustainable and profitable industry, Ian Gatt, president of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation will tell guests at its annual dinner in Edinburgh tonight (9 October).
Speaking to an audience of leading industry figures – including Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead – Mr Gatt will say that while the fishing industry faces a host of problems, it does nonetheless have a great future.
“Maximising the value of our seafood products must be a priority across the sector if we are to meet new economic challenges,” he will say.
A key priority will be to tackle the discards issue, where poor fisheries management measures and unsuitable quotas has led to the dumping of good quality marketable fish, which Mr Gatt will describe as ‘an economic waste of our valuable seafood resources’.
“Our skippers and crew cannot comprehend why this is allowed to happen and the general public also think the practice is crazy,” he will say.
“It is essential that a workable solution is found that focuses on maximising the value of Scottish seafood as well as ensuring the maximum retention of catches.”
But despite these being challenging times – particularly against the background of high fuel costs – Mr Gatt will deliver an upbeat assessment of the future of the Scottish industry. The size of the fleet is in line with available resources and there will always be a strong global demand for quality seafood.
“We have on our doorstep some of the best fishing grounds in the world.”
He will add: “It is essential that everyone works together and shows determination by developing long-term strategies and policies that ensure our objective of a sustainable and profitable industry.”
Meanwhile, Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the SFF, will outline to guests the immediate priorities facing the industry in the run-up to the end-of-the-year Fish Council talks in Brussels.
“We anticipate a difficult round of negotiations ahead and the Federation will be pressing to ensure that no quota cuts or unwarranted measures are introduced that goes against the science. Our main objective is to ensure the continuation of sustainable fishing.”
He will add: “The Scottish fishing industry is a fundamental food producer that harvests a natural and renewable resource, which means it has an excellent future.”
