ANNONCER
The final agreement at the EC Fisheries Council in Brussels has resulted in a reprieve for prawn (langoustine) and whitefish fishermen on the West coast of Scotland but the measures agreed will represent a massive and difficult challenge for fishermen in their implementation.
WWF has applauded the new regulation by the European Commission that should lead to a considerable reduction in the number of fish that are needlessly thrown overboard by fishermen.
The UK and Scottish Governments have welcomed the EU deal, which included increased catch limits for stocks such as cod in 2009.
Overturning the European Commission’s ‘disproportionate’ proposal to close all fisheries
The ‘first compromise’ from the European Commission during the December Fisheries Council offers little movement on the proposals it initially tabled, according to Fisheries Minister Richard Lochhead.
The first compromise tabled at the EC fisheries talks in Brussels has been rejected by Scottish fishermen for failing to achieve the key targets of effective conservation and ensuring a viable fishery on the West coast of Scotland in 2009.
Fishermen are warned that dozens of fragile communities could be devastated under EU proposals to close down the fishing industry off Scotland’s west coast.
Although the most extreme pressures caused by the spike in fuel costs earlier this year have abated at least for the present, we consider that it is essential to maintain momentum in reducing the fishing industry’s cost base wherever possible.
On the eve of the annual negotiations in Brussels to decide upon quotas and fisheries management measures for 2009, the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation is warning that draconian EC proposals to effectively close fishing on the West coast of Scotland are ‘politically and economically unacceptable’ and will be fiercely opposed.
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