This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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EU agrees deal on fish stocks
19/12/2003
A deal worth over £20 million to Scotland's fishing
industry has been achieved following three days of
negotiations in Brussels.
The deal agreed by European Fisheries Ministers
includes:
- a 53 per cent increase in North Sea haddock Total
Allowable Catch (TAC)
- a 30 per cent increase in North Sea nephrops
(prawns)
Environment and Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie
said:
"At the start of these negotiations we made clear our
determination to deliver better outcomes for conservation,
better outcomes for the industry and better outcomes for
fishing communities.
"While cod stocks remain below safe biological limits
there will continue to be difficulties. We understand the
challenges the white fish sector will face, but we have
secured our objective of a better balance between
conservation and increased fishing opportunity.
"The Commission repeated last year's call for a 65 per
cent reduction in effort. This settlement fully
acknowledges the 30 per cent reduction already delivered
through two rounds of decommissioning. It maintains 15 days
for our fleet. Unfortunately our efforts to secure
additional days for catches with less than a five per cent
cod by-catch proved unsuccessful.
"On TACs and quotas we worked closely with the industry
in pursuing the case for an area management approach to
haddock and nephrops fisheries and a decoupling of these
stocks from cod. As a result we won significant increases
in quota for our most important stocks, albeit with
important conditions attached.
"We achieved a rollover TAC on monkfish which, though
less than we wanted, still overturned a Commission proposal
for a cut of 16 per cent.
"We will now work closely with the industry to ensure
that the implementation of this agreement works to the best
interests of the Scottish fleet and Scotland's fishing
communities."
Council business centred on three topics: the Total
Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas for 2004, a long-term
cod recovery regime, and a short-term regime for managing
fishing effort (known as Annex V to the TAC and quota
regulation).
On TACs and quotas, the most significant changes were in
the TACs for nephrops (prawns) in the North Sea and haddock
in the North Sea (up by 30 per cent and 53 per cent
respectively). This was the culmination of a lengthy
technical argument evaluating the linkage between the
healthy stocks and cod. This 'decoupling' initiative was
advocated by the Executive and the Scottish Fishermen's
Federation.
A significant development associated with these
increases was enhanced control of enforcement
arrangements.
On the long-term cod recovery regime, political
agreement was reached on a proposal to introduce
multi-annual management arrangements for cod stocks in the
North Sea, West of Scotland, Irish Sea and Eastern Channel.
Associated with this is an effort control regime (limiting
time spent fishing) initially based on Annex V but subject
to replacement by more flexible arrangements in future.
On Annex V (the current, interim effort management
regime) the basic effort allocations remain broadly
unchanged; and the Scottish whitefish fishermen obtain 15
days per month (increased by five in recognition of recent
vessel decommissioning schemes). The regime has been made
more effective by closing off a number of loopholes.