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Ross Finnie |
SCOTTISH Fisheries Minister Ross Finnie claimed today to have secured the best possible deal for the Scottish fleet during tough talks in Brussels.
Fishermen, he said, will benefit from increases in a number of key stocks, such as Rockall haddock, monkfish and west coast prawns.
There are also reductions in the number of days at sea for some. However,those affected by these cuts will have a number of options to recover lostdays, by signing up to either better conservation methods or tighter enforcement.
Mr Finnie said:
"As always the settlement needs to be read as a whole and I am satisfied that in these difficult negotiating circumstances we have secured the best possible deal for Scottish fisheries.
"In the course of the negotiations we have greatly improved our position in a number of key stocks such as Rockall haddock, prawns, monkfish and herring.
"We have always recognised however that as long as cod is in difficulty we face difficult negotiations. We have consistently argued that the Commission's decisions should be fair and equitable.
"The cuts for our whitefish fleet will be less severe than for those who use small nets. This was secured in the face of strong pressure to do the reverse.
"We will continue to work closely with our industry, processors and
environmentalists to secure a sustainable, profitable and well managed and viable fishing sector to support the many Scottish communities which rely on this important way of life."
The main outcomes from the Council were:
* West of Scotland prawn quotas increased by 10 percent (Commission
proposal: cut of 15 percent).
* North Sea prawn quotas reduced by 7 percent (Commission proposal: cut of 22 percent).
* The quota for haddock at Rockall increased to 4615 tonnes (Commission proposal: 687 tonnes)
* The quota for West of Scotland Herring rolled over (Commission proposal: cut of 15 percent).
* Monkfish quotas increased by 10 percent (Commission proposal: rollover)
* Days at sea reduced by 7 percent for haddock, cod and whiting fishermen and for prawn fishermen by 8 percent for larger nets and by 10 percent for smaller nets (Commission proposal: 25 percent for all).
* Prawn fishermen who use nets which avoid catching young cod will be
allowed to spend 11 more days at sea in 2007 than in 2006.
* Whitefish vessels willing to accept automatic licence suspension for
breaches of the regulations will not have any cuts in days.
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