There is good news for the Scottish fishermen as they are allowed to land 30 percent more cod from next year. But they will have to sign up to tougher regulations restricting fish being thrown back in to the sea. After tight negotiations between the EU and Norway, this increase has happened.
It is said that the talks have been deciding on quotas for waters shared by the UK, as part of the EU, and Norway. Scottish fishermen have taken a series of measures to cut down on the number of fish thrown back. Fisheries minister Richard Lochhead informed that this deal presents a golden opportunity to cut the level of good marketable fish that is dumped overboard and at the same time delivers a record increase in cod quota for our fishing communities.
Lochhead told that the 30 percent increase in cod quota is a fair reward for these fishermen who have already adopted trail-blazing conservation measures and have now signed up to do more. He added that the Scottish Government and industry working together have delivered a very good deal for our fishermen, fisheries conservation and consumers.
Mike Park, executive chairman of the Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association, expressed that the talks in Oslo had been productive. He informed that it has been lengthy and prolonged discussions with Norway, who have been quite severe in trying to impose measures on the community to reduce discards, not only for cod but for other species, next year.
John Buchan, skipper of the Fairline, told that the fishermen are quite pleased, it’s a movement in the right direction. He said that the main aim is to catch less and land more.
