With a new government taking over the reins at Westminster, Scotland’s fishing industry leaders have made it clear that they ar eready to engage with the new administration.
‘We will continue to work with both governments north and south of the border. While most domestic fisheries management is devolved to Holyrood, there are other matters within reserved UK competence, and we look forward to working with the new UK Government on these,’ said SFF chief executive Elspeth Macdonald.
‘We also look forward to building relationships with Scotland’s new MPs as well as working with those who will continue to represent Scottish interests at Westminster.’
SFF has been active in the run-up to the election, holding a hustings with candidates from five parties in Edinburgh and taking its fishing pledge around key coastal and island constituencies to garner candidates’ support for our industry. SFF is now looking to those incoming MPs and Ministers to support Scotland’s fishing sector – and there is a list of issues on the table that the industry is keen to discuss.
These range from protecting and improving the UK’s status as an independent coastal state as the TCA’s Adjustment Period on fisheries comes to an end, and ensuring no regression on what is already secured, in particular the right for the UK to determine its own fisheries management arrangements in UK waters.
Further development of Fisheries Management Plans, co-designed with the fishing sector and other key stakeholders, is also on the table, as is striking a right balance between conservation and sustainable harvesting, ensuring food security as well as energy security. SFF also wants to engage on the question of a workable immigration system that is designed to meet the needs of businesses when labour needs cannot be met by UK/Scottish workers.
‘We will be seeking early meetings with incoming Ministers and new MPs on these as we seek to secure the sector’s position as part of Scotland and UK’s food security and routemap to net zero, producing climate-smart, healthy and nutritious food from sustainable and naturally renewable resources,’ Elspeth Macdonald said.
