From the Aberdeen Press & Journal @
http://www.pressandj...444076?UserKey=
Quote
Fishermen’s fear for future after ‘horrendous’ cutbacks
quota cuts and reduction in days at sea are not welcomed
By Ryan Crighton
Published: 17/10/2009
Fishermen face being forced out of business by a crushing double blow of huge quota cuts and massive reductions in the number of days they can spend at sea.
Conservation plans revealed yesterday by the European Commission were described by industry leaders as grim news for Scotland’s fragile fleet and branded “horrendous” by one top skipper.
For the second year running, west coast boats face seeing their grounds left almost unviable by plans to slash 54% off the haddock quota, reduce the cod allowance by 25% and cut the prawn catch by 15%.
In the North Sea, boats could face a quota cut of 15% for haddock, 25% for whiting and 7% for prawns – although cod quotas could increase by about 17%. However, there are fears that a west coast squeeze would force more boats into the North Sea, flooding east coast markets with fish and forcing tumbling prices down further.
The proposals were outlined by EC Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg as he fired the opening salvos in the run-up to pivotal negotiations in Brussels in December that will set fishing levels in European waters for next year.
Mr Borg will also urge the implementation of the cod recovery plan adopted last autumn. It calls for 25% fewer days at sea for the west coast fleet and a 13% cut for North Sea boats.
Last night, one fishing leader said the proposals offered Scotland no reward for its conservation efforts, while a north-east skipper said fishermen were being asked to “fight the recession with their hands tied behind their backs”.
Mr Borg said the right balance had to be struck between the scientific advice and the needs of fishermen.
He warned that conservation measures for desperately depleted cod stocks had not delivered the promised revival of supplies – partly because continued overfishing exceeded agreed quota limits.
“What is more, there are not enough older, spawning fish and too few young fish coming into the stock since 2005,” he said.
The European Commission released a statement saying the proposed cuts were fully justified. “These reductions go in the direction of the scientific advice, but have been moderated in order to alleviate hardship in the short term,” it said.
“The bottom line is that no fish means no fishermen. So while being a difficult pill to swallow, these measures are also necessary if we are to bring stocks to sustainable levels.”
Speaking from the North Sea last night, John Buchan, skipper of the Peterhead-registered Fairline, said the quota cuts did not reflect the amount of fish available.
He said: “This is only going to put more pressure on the North Sea. These are horrendous decisions and the quotas do not bear any relation to the amount of fish there are.
“If the quotas were in line with what is out here, there would not be a problem. But instead, we are being asked to fight the recession with our hands tied behind our backs.”
The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation has fears over the combined impact of quota cuts and days-at-sea restrictions, particularly on the west coast.
Chief executive Bertie Armstrong said: “Never before has it been more imperative for the Scottish industry and government to work together in partnership to reduce by as much as possible the scope, severity and speed of implementation of these measures.
“The Scottish fleet has been proactive in trying new measure to reduce cod mortality – but for what reward?”
A UK Government statement said Westminster would be consulting the devolved administrations and fishing industry leaders in an effort to reach a joint agreement at the December negotiations.
Scottish Government Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said low quayside prices in 2009 had raised the economic pressure on the industry. He said: “The commission’s proposals for fishing opportunities in 2010 are the starting point for the autumn negotiations. The Scottish Government will be fighting tooth and nail to secure an outcome that helps keep the Scottish fleet viable without endangering stock recovery.”
Tory MEP Struan Stevenson said: “The commission has proposed reforming the system by 2012 but most fishermen tell me that they will not survive until then, particularly if this most recent round of cuts is implemented.”
0
