EUROPEAN Fisheries ministers reached a temporary deal in Brussels last night in the annual round of EU negotiations on fish quotas, with mixed results for the Scottish fleet and UK fishing in general.
All fleets face reductions on catches of species, such as haddock, sole and cod. However, fishermen will be able to increase their share by 5 per cent if they agree to fit CCTV cameras on their boats.
Scottish fishing leaders said some of the decisions will impact on the fishing industry, but there was also relief that cuts were less severe than first feared. North Sea quotas for cod, haddock and whiting were rolled over for further talks but could face a ten per cent cut, while the quota for west coast haddock is reduced by 25 per cent. The deal is provisional until final agreement is reached in the EU dispute with Norway over mackerel.
There was also a deal to drive forward 'catch less, land more' trials to improve conservation and cut discards. Boats which participate will have the incentive of increased quotas. There was an agreed rollover of quota for the £47 million North Sea prawn industry, part of Scotland's most valuable fleet and a 15 per cent cut in the west coast prawn quota.
Speaking from Brussels, fisheries secretary Richard Lochhead said: 'Given the challenging backdrop, these were always going to be tough talks. We have fought hard for our fishermen and the outcome will offer some degree of comfort to parts of our industry.
He added: 'After long negotiations, working with the UK, we have achieved gains for some of our most valuable stocks and secured interim arrangements to ensure stocks shared with Norway can still be fished. We have also secured support for 'catch less, land more' trials - another example of Scotland showing international leadership on conservation.'
Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg said: 'The agreement we have reached here today is indicative of what Europe can achieve when we cooperate together in good faith and work as a team.'
He said many stocks remained badly overfished, although a 'small but increasing' number of stocks were now being fished at sustainable levels. Fishermen who take up the experimental on-board camera scheme will have to fit three strategically-placed cameras on their vessels, including one in the hold where the catches are loaded, and one positioned to monitor for 'discards' .
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