STEVENSON ENCOURAGES SKIPPERS TO HELP SHAPE SCOTTISH FISHING POLICY

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has called for Banff & Buchan skippers to take part in a Scottish Government consultation on the shape of a new days at sea scheme. Under the European Union's new cod recovery plan, member states receive national 'pots' of fishing effort and are free to decide how to allocate days to individual vessels. This is a change from previous years, when EU regulations set day limits for each type of fishing vessel.

Because of this important change, the Government has agreed with the fishing industry that it is right to consult individual skippers on how the new system should work.

Commenting, Mr Stevenson said:

“Banff & Buchan’s skippers have an important opportunity to shape the future way in which the days at sea system will operate. Thanks to pioneering innovations across the industry, such as real time closures and use of more selective fishing gear, the level of Cod mortality has fallen and the EU was successfully convinced to drop its plan for a 25% reduction in days at sea.

“The efforts of Banff & Buchan’s fishing community have achieved this, thanks to their efforts to build a sustainable, profitable industry and now they have a chance to shape an effective system for future years.

“Although the industry continues to face challenges, the responsible leadership it continues to show is what made it possible to avoid a blanket cut in days at sea and instead develop more sophisticated measures with the input of our fishing industry.

“I would strongly encourage Banff & Buchan’s skippers to take part in this consultation and make sure that their views are heard in shaping a new scheme that will keep costs for the active industry as low as possible”.