SFF to warn EC Fisheries Commissioner that Scottish whitefish fleet is close to breaking point

The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation will tomorrow (1 October) tell European Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki that the Scottish industry has made huge strides in ensuring the sustainable harvesting of fish and that its efforts must be recognised during the decision-making process for fishing opportunity in 2011.

The SFF will tomorrow hold talks with Commissioner Damanaki at a round table meeting in Aberdeen as part of the North Sea Conference that is being hosted by the Scottish Government. The meeting will also include Scottish Fisheries Minister Richard Lochhead and UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon.

Bertie Armstrong, SFF chief executive said: “A key point we want to make to the Commissioner is the huge effort that has been made by the Scottish fleet in ensuring sustainable harvesting.  The EC must recognise and reward the considerable sacrifice made by our fishermen by easing the current punishing fishing restrictions.

“A large number of whitefish and prawn boats are teetering on the brink of viability and many segments of the fleet simply will not survive if there is any further tightening of the screw. For fishermen to have faith in fisheries management they must be rewarded for their efforts. At the moment the fishing industry is enduring increasing restrictions year-after-year despite there being signs of fish stock recovery. The industry can only take so much and the point has now been reached for these restrictions to be eased.”

The SFF will also raise these concerns at a meeting in the Peterhead today with UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon.  Also on the agenda at the talks over the next two days will be the current dispute with Iceland and the Faroes over international mackerel quotas. At a presentation to the European Parliament Fisheries Committee in Strasbourg yesterday, Ian Gatt of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association said that fishermen’s livelihoods are in jeopardy because of the ‘irresponsible actions’ taken by Iceland and the Faroes.

“In Scotland, we fear the very fabric of our fishing communities is at stake if the demands of Iceland and the Faroes are fulfilled,” he said.

“We are fighting for the survival of the few remaining fishing communities in Scotland and it is the same situation for all the other pelagic ports across the European Union. A deal is in everyone’s interest, but not at any price, and we must ensure our heritage and fisheries entitlement is simply not given away.”

• In a move to highlight the importance of mackerel to Scotland, Scottish fishermen will present EC Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki with a box of top quality Scottish mackerel at the Ardoe House Hotel, Aberdeen, at 11am tomorrow (Friday 1 October).

Ends

More information:

Bertie Armstrong

Chief executive, Scottish Fishermen’s Federation

Tel: 01224 646944

M: 07801 626822

Ian Gatt

SPFA

Tel: 01346 510714

M: 07803 041021

Keith Broomfield:

Tel: 01259 742575. M: 07890 781151