Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead will today meet the Norwegian Fisheries Minister, Ms Helga Pedersen today in Oslo.
They will discuss, among other things, alternatives to the Common Fisheries Policy, sustainable fishing practices and how the two Governments can work together in the future.
Mr Lochhead is in Norway to attend the North Atlantic Seafood Forum. He is the keynote speaker at the Pelagic Summit on Wednesday March 5th and he will also address a session on the environmental challenges and the seafood industry.
He will use the visit as an opportunity to promote the valuable and successful Scottish seafood sector.
Speaking ahead of the meeting with Ms Pedersen, Mr Lochhead said:
“There is a lot we can learn from Norway who are not subject to the constraints of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). I look forward to discussing the issues with Ms Pedersen today to see what lessons Scotland can learn.
“We are already beginning to loosen the shackles of the CFP and soon we hope to shake ourselves free.
“In December we managed to secure an historic agreement with Brussels that represents a new approach to fisheries conservation.
“It is the first time since the inception of the common fisheries policy in 1983 that such significant management control has been passed back to Scotland from Brussels.
“But to secure the long-term success and sustainability of the Scottish fishing industry we must do more. We are establishing an expert panel to develop and promote better models of managing our fisheries for the benefit of the industry, communities and the environment.”
Mr Lochhead is attending the third North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) in Oslo. It is attended by the major players in the seafood sector in Northern Europe. No other UK Minister is attending.
Mr Lochhead will undertake a series of meetings and will speak twice at the NASF.
The Scottish Government is in the process of establishing an expert panel of fisheries stakeholders to focus on the strategic issues in relation to the CFP that will report to the Scottish Fisheries Council.
