Hans J Marter

23 August, 2007

SCOTLAND'S fishing industry will have a voice it has never had before at the annual fish quota negotiations, the new Scottish fishing minister promised yesterday (Wednesday) on his first visit to Shetland.

The islands' fishing leaders left Richard Lochhead in no doubt that proposals to cut next year's catching quotas were completely unacceptable.

Scientists from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) have again recommended a complete closure of the cod fishery, slashing the whiting quota by 80 per cent, a 15 per cent drop in haddock catches, and halving the North Sea herring Total Allowable Catch.

The initial ICES advice flies in the face of fishermen's reports that they could catch plenty of mature and marketable cod if they had the quota to do so.

But between them local fishermen have just 80 boxes of cod per month left to catch until the end of the year, forcing them to deliberately stay away from vast areas of the North Sea just to avoid catching the controversial species.

Shetland Fishermen's Association chairman Leslie Tait said that there were more cod on the ground than he saw during almost 40 years when he was at sea, and there was no justification for reducing whiting and haddock quotas, as this would simply lead to more dumping at sea.

"We think that we should have a cod quota realignment to 2005 figures, and we think the science supports that. That would mean an increase in the cod quota by 27 per cent. The problem we have is to convince politicians and the environmental lobby," Mr Tait said.

Mr Lochhead said he wanted to make sure fishermen were heard when next year's quotas are set at the December Fisheries Council in Brussels.

"It's absolutely imperative that the experience of fishermen at sea is taken into account by the European Commission in its deliberations," he said.

"We have to work within the Common Fisheries Policy at the moment. I don't think that is the ideal solution, but within that we are determined to change the way in which Scotland presents its case.

"We will be much more robust and forceful to ensure there are no more injustices coming out of Brussels that damage the interests of Shetland or other fishing communities in Scotland."

Mr Lochhead added: "As ever the initial scientific advice is a mixed bag and we are expecting more scientific advice in the months ahead in the run up to December's vital negotiations.

"The new SNP government is determined to fight tooth and nail to get much better deals for the Scottish fishing industry for the benefit of our many fishing dependent communities."

After yesterday's meeting, Mr Tait said that so far he was impressed with the new man in charge of fishing in Edinburgh.

"My initial impression is that Mr Lochhead is very willing to listen. At the moment he is saying all the right things, but the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

"The minister said that he will continue to try running the fisheries talks in Brussels, because Scotland has by far the largest share in it. That seems sensible. Why should Scotland not?

"We now have two different administrations in place in London and in Edinburgh, and one is obviously speaking out quite stronger on behalf of Scotland. That hopefully means that the talks in Brussels are not being ruled by London.

"There is a lot of hope resting on him, as the whole of the Scottish industry hopes that we are going to have more to say at the end of the year European talks."