Jim Mather, Argyll’s MSP, has welcomed the announcement that 67 Scottish prawn boats should soon be exempt from the EC Days at Sea regime.

The west coast fishing boats are set for a much-needed boost after the European Commission finally accepted that they should be exempt from these restrictions.

Working closely with fishermen, the Scottish Government has been fighting to have West Coast vessels that catch very little or no cod exempted. If approved at the December Council, as it is expected to be, this hoped for breakthrough means that 67 Scottish boats fishing for prawns in the Minch and the Clyde will no longer be subjected to Days at Sea limitations.

Jim Mather says: ‘ This is excellent news for West Coast prawn fishermen. Richard Lochhead and his team have developed a tenacious but constructive approach to the problems associated with EU fishing regulations and it is good to see this success’.

Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead himself, says: ‘This has been a long drawn out process and we are therefore delighted that our determined efforts appear to have paid off. I am sure that other EU Member States will now agree to the exemption of many of our West Coast prawn boats. We will work with the vessels involved to make sure that they continue to catch less than 1.5% cod.

‘Working with the industry and our scientists we produced a sensible case to get Scottish boats out of the regime where they clearly do not impact upon cod. Hopes have been raised and then dashed before but, through our efforts, we now expect Scotland to benefit from an exemption already granted to other member States like Spain and Sweden.

‘Of course our fight for a fair deal for Scotland’s fishermen does not stop here. While our valuable prawn fleets are no longer facing the prospect of new draconian technical measures in 2010 and changes to fishing gear that would have impacted on both viability and safety have been averted, there is still much to do.

‘We will continue to work hard to cut our fishermen some much-needed slack. We are determined to fight for measures that will ensure sustainable whitefish fleets and protect our valuable Nephrops fisheries. Any solutions must fit with our circumstances, not the convenience of Brussels’.

Scottish Fishermen’s Federation chief executive Bertie Armstrong, -naturally pleased with this outcome, says: ‘This has been a long battle on a matter of very important principle – vessels which don’t catch cod should not be trapped inside regulation which doesn’t apply to them.

‘he Scottish Government is to be congratulated on its refusal to let this matter drop. Oersistent detailed work over the course of the year in presenting the scientific case has at last been acknowledged. The final regulation is to be signed off in December and we must await the fine print, but I don’t think the Government could have tried harder once the problem was recognised’.

About the Days at Sea regime

The Days at Sea regime exists as part of the EU’s cod recovery plan. This sets days at sea for fishing boats involved in catching cod in the waters around Scotland.

There is also a provision in the EU Regulation that allows for boats, or groups of boats, which do not impact on cod recovery and catch less than 1.5% cod to be completely exempt from’effort management’ – meaning Days at Sea limits.

Scotland made a submission earlier in the year to have 67 West of Scotland prawn boats that fish in the Minch and Eastern Firth of Clyde, exempted under this part of the regulation. Scientific observation and catch data had shown that these vessels caught significantly less than 1.5% cod.

Today (4th December) the Commission gave the go ahead for a vote at December Council to approve the exemption of the Minch and Clyde prawn boats from Days at Sea restrictions. If this is approved,  the 67 Scottish prawn boats will be free from Days at Sea limits for as long as scientific observers confirm that their catches continue to comprise less than 1.5% cod.

The EU Cod Recovery Plan

The Cod Recovery Plan, agreed in 2008, includes targets to reduce substantially cod mortality caused by fishing. To achieve this, the European Commission proposed a 25% reduction in days at sea for Scottish fishing vessels.

The Scottish Government was able to secure a deal that allowed cuts in Days at Sea to be avoided if vessels adopted new conservation measures. The Government has been working with the industry to develop these, like the use of more selective fishing gears that allow more fish to escape.

And Richard Lochhead?

Richard Lochhead has, from the outset of his governmental career, been a capable and respected minister.

He does, though, stand tainted by the failure of his department to attend to the needs of the non-commercial marine sectors.

It took a clever and massive publicity campaign by the intelligent and forward-looking Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network (SSACN) to get govenrment support for measures to monitor and protect marine species central to the recreational game fishing sector that is so powerful a contributor to the Scottish economy.

The wildlife tourism sector – a key part of Scotland’s gradually more focused marketing of its real strengths, along with marine wildlife conservationists, has not been nearly so lucky in attracting support for its campaign to stop the illegal shooting of seals and to make illegal the immoral shooting of seals during the breeding and lactating season.

As our Environment Editor, Mark Carter – who this week blew the whistle resoundingly on the true figures of fish waste in the Clyde fisheries (of the juveniles that are the future of species) – points out in his latest article pubished today – the Scottish Salmon Producers Association itself admits that seals do not – cannot – break open the nets protecting farmed salmon cages.

While Mr Lochhead’s performance on behalf of conventional causes within his brief has been determined and successful, his overall performance is asymmetric.

There are serious blind spots or areas of unconcern. Only when he addresses these, with the vigour he shows elsewhere and within a fully informed inclusive picture, can he be considered the extraordinarily capable Minsiter he has the capacity to be.

Related Posts

• Mather backs call for reform of Common Fisheries Policy (0)
• Marine Bill conference a ‘No Take’ zone for Lochhead? (0)
• Lochhead gets more time on Scottish fishing fleet’s Filipino crews (1)
• Scottish EC fishing gains include support for ‘Catch less, land more’ (0)
• Fiction and fact in the risk to Scotland’s fishing industry (2)

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