29 April, 2008

SCOTTISH fishermen are calling on the Scottish Government to do all it can to help them deal with the huge rise in fuel costs.

The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation meets fishing secretary Richard Lochhead in a fortnight to explain how tough the industry is finding the current price of fuel.

By announcing the meeting today, fishermen hope the government will have time to investigate possible solutions. They want to make sure other European countries are not receiving assistance which they are being denied.

SFF chief executive Bertie Armstrong said: “The world price of fuel is not set by this government and a fuel subsidy is neither possible nor demanded. However a realistic package of survivability measures is achievable.

“We are asking for transparency over the kind of measures that our European commercial competitors in the French and Spanish fleets are receiving. If competition rules are being breached, than they must be challenged right now, but if it is innovative and legal measures that are being utilised, then they must be matched.

“We are not asking for special treatment but for a level playing field. Following some painful changes including major decommissioning, real progress has been made in sustainable fishing, under a carefully developed programme of cooperation between the Scottish industry, science and government. We must not let this investment in the future slip away.”