26 May 2009

THE SCOTTISH Fishermen's Federation (SFF) has welcomed indications that the European Commission is committed to reforming the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

But Shetland MSP Tavish Scott said the isles’ fishermen can't wait until 2012 for a reformed CFP and need urgent support now.

Yesterday's meeting of the European Union's fisheries council in Brussels moved to "take courageous steps to have a real and meaningful reform of the CFP."

It also indicated that decentralisation of the CFP was one of the key issues for discussion.

SFF chief executive Bertie Armstrong said this morning (Tuesday) that a more intelligent way to manage fisheries was urgently needed.

Mr Scott however painted a bleaker picture, saying many whitefish boats in the local fleet could be driven to the wall unless the measures agreed at the last end of year fisheries council are eased.

"Our fishermen are currently struggling with the old discredited CFP. They cannot wait for a reformed CFP to come into force in 2012. Unless the current draconian restrictions imposed as a result of last December's fisheries council are eased, they may well drive our whitefish fleet out of business so that there is nothing left by 2012.

"The renewed confidence in the whitefish industry which we saw a few years ago, with new boats joining the Shetland fleet, has been hit by the regime imposed on them last year.

"The Scottish government needs to make sure that they act now to keep our fleet in business. They must not be allowed to think that the promise of a reformed CFP in 2012 is enough to help our beleaguered fleet," he said.

Mr Armstrong said: "The EC has made it quite clear that there will be no controls on their thinking and are considering radical solutions. This is to be welcomed - as long as the final measures agreed are workable.

"The current system is patently not working and there seems to be agreement at the fisheries council that it is ready to let go and decentralise fisheries policy. The present policy of relying on the main management tools of restricted catching and restricted time at sea is not working.

"There needs to be a more intelligent way of managing fisheries and this includes the decentralisation of policy where regional management can produce regional solutions.

"Scottish fishermen are already pioneering a range of conservation initiatives and we hope that yesterday's meeting of the council signals the beginning of a real move towards a new and radical approach to fisheries management."

Tavish Scott added: "I have long argued that radical reform of the CFP is needed. The existing centralised version needs to be torn up and replaced with regional management of fisheries.

So this acceptance by EU fisheries ministers that this is the way forward is welcome, although I don't underestimate the pressures they will still face from those in Brussels who will still want to micromanage our fisheries from the centre."

Returning from Brussels, Scottish fisheries minister Richard Lochhead said: "It is clear that Scotland faces a big challenge to ensure that genuine decision-making is returned to Scotland and that our historic fishing opportunities are protected under any new arrangements to be agreed in the coming years.

"It is certainly the case that change can't come quick enough because with every day that passes Scotland suffers that bit more under the discredited CFP."

The consultation period on the green paper on CFP reform lasts until the end of 2009, with the EU having until 2012 to draw up a new Common Fisheries Policy.