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Pete Bevington
11 November, 2009
SHETLAND MSP Tavish Scott has slammed the Scottish
government over the introduction of new net measuring
devices, saying they had been imposed “without consultation
or compensation”.
One Shetland fishing boat has already lost thousands of
pounds after being caught using an “undersized” net, which
was within the rules when measured using the traditional
method.
The white fish boat Radiant Star was boarded last
month by fisheries officers using the new Omega net
measuring device, which registered their mesh size as less
than the 110mm minimum.
Skipper Victor Laurenson had only this year bought a new net
after the European fisheries council raised mesh sizes from
100mm in December.
The fisheries officers confiscated the net and Mr Laurenson
and his crew of four have had to splash out around £5,000 on
a new net.
Other fishing vessels in Shetland have been warned they are
not complying with the new Omega measurements. They have
been given until 1 January to change their nets, but could
have them confiscated before then if they too are boarded by
fisheries officers.
Mr Laurenson said the Omega device was |
one more blow to fishermen
who are already suffering from a reduction in quotas and
days at sea, falling fish prices and rising fuel costs.
“It’s going to be difficult to manage next year,” he said.
“The mesh is getting so big we are not catching any small
fish any more. A lot of people would say that is a good
thing not to catch small haddock and whiting, but we are not
allowed to catch cod at all…so what the hell are we meant to
do?”
Tavish Scott quoted replies to questions put to fishing
minister Richard Lochhead, which show the new Omega device
costs £1,500 compared to £35 for the “robust old wedge
gauge”, which have been in use for the past 15 years.
Mr Lochhead claimed the difference in measurements was
insignificant at around 3mm, but Mr Scott said he had heard
of differences as great as 15mm.
“The skipper of one Shetland boat reported to me that his
net, which fisheries officers had passed as measuring 120mm
with the old gauge, measured just under 105mm with the new
one. So this is a back door way to cut the quantity of fish
caught. In his case, the impact is going to have a serious
effect on the viability of his boat,” the MSP said.
Mr Lochhead had admitted that no formal consultation had
taken place before the new equipment was introduced, and
there were no plans to offer fishermen compensation for
discarding nets. |
