Hans J Marter

14 May, 2007

GREENPEACE campaigners have been condemned as "idiotic" after some volunteers swam in the course of a whitefish trawler fishing 40 miles east of Shetland.

Scottish Fishermen's Federation chief executive Bertie Armstrong said yesterday (Sunday) that such acts were "cheap publicity" stunts which did not serve any purpose.

The strong reaction came after Greenpeace switched to more confrontational methods in their campaign to stop cod fishing in the North Sea.

The environmental pressure group claimed the Banff registered Endurance BF98 did not alter its course when some of their volunteers placed themselves in front of the vessel, holding on to a floating sign saying: 'STOP - Cod in Crisis', on Saturday morning.

The Greenpeace vessel Artic Sunrise has been in Shetland waters since the beginning of the month as part of the group's campaign to halt cod fishing and to designate large areas of the North Sea as protected marine reserves.

They say cod stocks in the North Sea are below save biological limits, but fishermen claim they are encountering the best cod stocks for many years and have to divert to other fishing grounds in an effort to avoid the controversial species.

The Scottish fishing industry has been involved in the long term EU cod recovery programme for many years resulting in low quotas for the species.

Mr Armstrong said: "If somebody jumps into the water into the path of a trawler than that act is illegal, because it will hazard the trawler.

"The trawler will either be forced to run down if it hasn't got time to move, or it may take avoiding action which would endanger the trawler itself.

"This is an act of idiotic proportion and it is done to draw cheap publicity. We are already engaged in a very practical way in doing absolutely everything we can to make the cod recovery plan work. Acts like this don't help."

He added that the Scottish fishing industry was very much aware of the condition of cod stocks and they were fully committed to "sustainably" harvest fish.

But speaking from aboard the Artic Sunrise, Greenpeace campaigner Willie Mackenzie said that despite scientific advice fishermen continued to "batter cod stocks".

"We're in the North Sea to save the cod from extinction, and a part of the Scottish fishing fleet from collapsing," Mr Mackenzie said.

"Unless a 'zero catch' is immediately implemented in the very near future, the last cod will be taken from the plundered waters of the North Sea.

"And even then, areas like the North Sea will need to be designated as marine reserves, which would help to tackle this huge problem and see oceans returned to the healthy ecosystems they once were."

Greenpeace said they plan continue campaigning in the waters around the northern isles during the next few weeks.