This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Fisheries Protection Agency
29/08/2003
The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency has today
published its annual report and accounts for the year
ending March 31.
Environment and Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie
said the agency had continued to perform well against very
demanding performance targets.
He said:
"The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of
proper and effective monitoring of fishing activity and
enforcement of fisheries legislation to conserve stocks for
the long-term benefit of the industry and rural
communities.
"The Agency's staff have performed their duties in a
thoroughly professional and efficient manner often in
difficult conditions and circumstances.
"I am pleased the Agency has continued to perform so
well against such demanding targets, in meeting five out of
10 set for the year.
"Of particular note are the achievements in aerial
surveillance, where excellent operational returns were
delivered by the Agency's two aircraft and unit costs were
contained well within target limits.
"An important aspect of the Agency's business involves
processing cases for prosecution - the three associated
targets were all well met.
"On the marine side, however, downtime arising from an
increase in mechanical defects, in what is becoming an
ageing fleet, prevented the Agency from meeting both fleet
availability and cost targets. In the meantime major
investments have been made in procuring new patrol vessels
due to enter service between now and late 2005.
"Shortfalls with respect to the two targets set for its
Sea Fisheries Inspectorate are attributable to a diversion
of enforcement effort from the routine monitoring of
landings to less predictable and more random surveillance
operations to provide a greater concentration on the
prevention of blackfish landings.
"The £15 million spent annually on monitoring fishing
activity and enforcement in waters around Scotland and in
our ports represents less than 4% of the total value of
fish landed into Scotland in 2002.
"As such, the work of the SFPA continues to be an
important and very worthwhile investment of taxpayers'
money aimed at safeguarding the future of our fishing
industry."
The SFPA was launched in April 1991 as an executive
agency under the Government's Next Steps programme.
It monitors the fishing activities of UK and foreign
fishing vessels within British Fishery Limits at sea around
Scotland as well as in Scottish ports.
The Agency is headed by a Chief Executive, Paul Du
Vivier. It employs 276 staff, operates four vessels and
two aircraft and has offices in 18 of the major fishing
ports.
Copies of the Annual Report and Accounts, ISBN number
0-10-888111-3, may be obtained from The Stationery Office,
71 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9AZ, price £15.10.