28 April, 2009

A NEW days at sea scheme which aims to recognise the difficulties currently being faced by Scotland's fishing fleets has been unveiled, the Scottish government announced yesterday (Monday).

It follows responses to a consultation which asked skippers how days should be allocated to Scottish fishing vessels for the remainder of the year.

The industry requested the consultation following complex changes to European Union regulations, which previously set day limits for each type of vessel.

Under the EU's new cod recovery plan member states now receive national pots of fishing effort and are free to decide how to allocate days to individual vessels.

An interim scheme has been in operation since the beginning of February this year, which finishes on Thursday 30 April.

The new regime will:

* give all fishermen a choice about how to receive their days at sea, so that they can take their own circumstances into account; and,
* make special arrangements for new vessels to - wherever possible - get an allocation of days more suited to their likely fishing pattern.

Fisheries secretary Richard Lochhead said:

"In these testing economic times and in light of the deal reached at December council we have worked closely with the industry to come up with a new scheme that makes the best of our limited national effort pots.

“We are also seeking exemption from the days at sea regime for over 70 of our vessels that catch very little cod.

"Over two thirds of skippers who responded to our consultation were in favour of keeping the same basic method of allocation - the same rate per vessel type - that has been used in the past.

"The Conservation Credits steering group - which involves the industry - has decided the best option is to allow vessels a choice about how to apply for days at sea.

"For many vessels, the basic rates of days at sea will likely exceed their normal annual fishing. But, for those whose normal activity exceeds it by a significant margin, they can instead apply for a days at sea allocation based on their historic track record.

“Vessels can then get more days at sea on top of their basic allocation by taking up the Conservation Credits options.

"We have also made special arrangements for new vessels, building in flexibility to the workings of the system to seek to offer a higher allocation of days.”

The measures were welcomed by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation. Its chief executive Bertie Armstrong said: “

"The new arrangement is probably the best that can be achieved against the background of a totally unsatisfactory situation and it does remove some of the uncertainty. But there will still be a significant number of fishermen who will continue to face real difficulties.

"It is essential that strenuous efforts continue to be made to refine the current effort restriction programme so as to seek as many improvements as possible.

"It is equally important that the Scottish and UK Governments, with the support of the fishing industry, continue to press the European Commission to seek urgent change in the severity of the application of the current regime."