On the eve of the formal publication by the European Commission of its proposals for the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation says it is crucial that meaningful measures are put forward that will safeguard the future of the Scottish fishing industry and ensure greater regional control.
The EC will be publishing its proposals in a Green Paper on Tuesday 21 April.
Bertie Armstrong, SFF chief executive said: “Reform is very necessary indeed – by anyone’s standards the CFP has failed. It is of paramount importance that the forthcoming debate is focused on practical, meaningful reform and not solely on ex
“It is essential that the final outcome ensures that there is an efficient framework of properly managing the access of European fleets to a limited and shared resource – fish do no not recognise national boundaries.
“The mechanisms of the CFP are far too centralised, in a top-down, one-size-fits-all regime. This takes little account of regional differences and the starkly different approaches taken by individual member states to responsible fishing. For the Scottish fishing industry, two examples of our strong efforts include the dramatic decommissioning schemes of 2001 and 2003 to ensure the fleet is at the right size to ensure sustainable fishing, and our leadership in cod mortality reduction measures. Both of these initiatives merit practical recognition when forming and developing the new regulations.
“For the Scottish fleet, the outcome must protect for the future our historically proven share of the fish in our waters. There must be no move away from the principle of ‘relative stability’, which presently ensures this. We have worked hard and made sacrifices to protect the stocks and will continue to do so. There must be a transfer of powers and responsibilities from Brussels to the regions, to member states and to the fishing industry. We look forward to playing our important part in shaping the future of fisheries policy in Europe.”
