SHADOW Fisheries Minister and SNP MSP for Moray, Richard Lochhead along with SNP MSP and Party President, Ian Hudghton this week met representatives from the Scottish Fishermens’ Federation and Fishermen Association Ltd in Aberdeen to discuss issues facing Scotland’s fishing industry, as official discussions begin in the run-up to the annual fisheries negotiations later this year.

The meetings followed reports that the European Commission is once again preparing to inflict yet more damage on Scotland’s fishing communities through a reduction in days at sea and quota.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Lochhead said:

“It is already clear that irregardless of Scotland’s past sacrifices as part of the drive to conserve fish stocks and the fact that fisheries is vital to our coastal economy, the Common Fisheries Policy is yet again preparing to launch another assault on this vital industry.

“Not content with the unjustified damage inflicted on Scotland in recent years, Brussels continues to squeeze the life out of our fishing communities.

“Many of our stocks are healthy and the Scots fishing fleet and our onshore sector has already been decimated. So the last thing the Government should allow is yet another threat to livelihoods to raise its ugly head.

“Our remaining fishing vessels and fish processing factories will be sunk by any further cuts in days at sea or quota. The fleet already has rising fuel prices to cope with.

“Our fishermen are being forced out of our seas and out of their jobs to make way for foreign fleets. The SNP is now demanding a meeting with Fisheries Minister Ross Finnie to ensure that he is telling the European Commission to forget any ideas it has to reduce Scotland’s fishing’s opportunities yet further, especially when Brussels has already accepted that the draconian Cod Recovery Plan has failed and needs reviewed. Ultimately, the only way to stop the CFP completely destroying what would otherwise be a prospering industry is for Scotland to leave it behind and take control of our own seas.”

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

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