This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Aid package for fishing communities
28/01/2003
A financial package worth up to £50 million to assist
Scotland's fishing communities was announced today.
The package, targeting processors and the wider fishing
community, consists of a decommissioning scheme of up to
£40 million, and a transitional element of up to £10
million to secure a six-month breathing space for the
industry to adjust in a structured manner.
The financial package will underpin a number of Scottish
Statutory Instruments (SSIs), which will be laid in the
Scottish Parliament. The SSIs will give effect to the
regulations adopted at the December Fisheries Council.
Making the announcement, Minister for Environment and
Rural Development Ross Finnie said:
"Sustainable fisheries are the best long-term guarantee
of economic prosperity for our fishing communities. The
package of financial assistance will help the fisheries
sector and its associated communities to adjust to these
new European Community measures.
"Our policy objectives are two-fold. Further
restructuring of the whitefish sector coupled with rational
economic planning, and a process of structured change in
the sector.
"Implementing regulations will consist of an SSI to give
effect to TAC and Quota regulations, an SSI to introduce a
further Scottish decommissioning scheme, and an SSI to
introduce a transitional support scheme for the whitefish
sector.
"We will ensure that through the Enterprise Networks,
our fishing communities acquire the support they need to
weather these fundamental changes. The Enterprise Network
is drawing up an action plan with local partners covering a
three-year period. Local enterprise companies are working
with their economic development partners to develop
appropriate action plans for their respective areas.
The SSI related to TAC and Quota regulation will put
into effect what is a binding EC regulation. It will set
out practical arrangements connected to the days at sea
limits, and associated obligations on Member States to
monitor and control associated activity.
The SSI on decommissioning will give effect to the
underlying conservation and sustainable development
objectives. The intention is to reduce Scottish fishing
effort on cod by a further 15% to 20%, in conjunction with
parallel initiatives for the rest of the UK in the
Westminster Parliament.
It will operate on the normal basis of competitive
bidding. Eligibility criteria and other details of the
scheme will be announced when we are ready to table the
SSI. However, it will clearly focus on a proportion yet to
be agreed of Scottish vessels over 10 metres catching
whitefish.
The SSI on transitional support will facilitate a
rational economic response to the new economic
circumstances implied by the reduced quotas and the days at
sea regime. The intention is to secure a six-month
breathing space for the industry to assess its prospects
and adjust in a structured manner.
The scheme will be carefully targeted at those vessels
most affected by the new regulations. We will be discussing
eligibility criteria and other details of the scheme with
the industry.
Local Enterprise companies will be closely monitoring
the impact on processors and the wider fishing community.
Under the PACE framework, response teams have been set-up
in each local enterprise company area. The PACE teams have
considerable experience and understanding of the issues
facing the fishing industry and are therefore well placed
to deal with the situation.