This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Future of Scotland’s fisheries
28/06/2005
A new framework to give Scotland's fishing industry
greater control over its long term future has been
published today.
Fisheries Minister Ross Finnie set out the framework,
Sustainable
Framework for Scottish Sea Fisheries, which aims to
make Scotland's fishing industry more competitive and
market focussed.
It also aims to maintain sustainable fishing
opportunities by "banking" fish in the short term in order
to maximise stability and provide a healthy and profitable
long term harvest for fishermen and consumers.
Mr Finnie said:
"The Scottish fisheries industry has faced much
uncertainty and increasing pressure in recent years. We
have considered the issues in detail in drawing up this
strategic framework.
"I believe the time is now right to move from analysis
to action. This document sets out the steps which need to
be taken to ensure the industry is sustainable, profitable
and well managed.
"A healthy future for our fishing industry will depend
on a healthy marine environment. The most important measure
will be policies to ensure stocks are fished sustainably.
The framework sets out how we believe that should be done.
But there are other steps we can take.
"The Scottish fishing industry is already embracing this
agenda and I hope they will come up with the ideas and
practical suggestions that safeguard the marine environment
as well as their own future.
"The key to the long term profitability of the Scottish
industry lies in improving its competitiveness and market
focus. There is much that Government can do, for example
looking at the quota management arrangement, but the
primary responsibility must lie with businesses themselves,
ensuring the quality of their product from net to
plate.
"In order to be sustainable and profitable the industry
needs to be well managed. This framework sets out how we
propose to work towards simpler regulation, more
stakeholder involvement and more effective enforcement.
"I am convening an Advisory Group to take the framework
forward and ensure we can together, bring about long term
change."
The Minister has also published a joint response
the Prime Minister's Net Benefits report today.
The launch of the Sustainable Framework for Scottish Sea
Fisheries follows a recent announcement on our intention to
create a Marine and Coastal National Park and the
publication of A Strategic Framework for Inshore Fisheries
in Scotland.
The framework sets out the following key
initiatives:
1. SUSTAINABLE:
Safeguarding fish stocks by developing stock management
strategies with the industry, to make our case at
international level.
Phased implementation of a more stable and sustainable
approach to fisheries management on a stock by stock basis
(sometimes called a "large stock" strategy), overseen by a
new Advisory Group.
Encouraging environmentally responsible fishing,
including through accreditation schemes, environmentally
friendly fishing techniques and technologies and fishing
closures and restrictions to protect important areas of
marine habitat. As part of our Marine Strategy.
Assessing a more integrated approach to marine
management, including further marine legislation in UK and
Scottish Parliaments.
Considering the use of marine spatial planning and
Marine Protected Areas to complement existing fisheries
management tools.
Enhancing sound science in Scotland through enhanced
collaboration between Fisheries Research Services the
industry and key stakeholders, and other centres of
fisheries science expertise in Scotland.
Building on world class Scottish marine science, through
Industry/Science partnerships and a "Virtual Fisheries
Science Institute."
Working to modernise the international advisory process
on fisheries overseen by the International Convention for
the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
Developing socio-economic expertise to complement
biological sciences, building on the development of fleet
modelling by Seafish.
2. PROFITABLE:
Promoting business efficiency and market focus in sea
fishing businesses and across the sea fisheries supply
chain.
Working with the industry to develop commercial
strategies for key stocks, overseen by the new Advisory
Group.
Ensuring a coherent package of support from SEERAD,
Seafish and the Enterprise Networks for sea fishing
businesses to be successful.
Improving co-ordination of economic development support
to sea fisheries businesses and setting up a Sea Fisheries
Business Forum to ensure their needs are met.
Supporting sea fishing communities to continue with the
business of sea fishing as well as to diversify through
Community Planning Partnerships.
Exploring how to ensure Community Planning Partnerships
can contribute to a sustainable, profitable and well
managed industry.
3. WELL MANAGED
Ensuring there is an influential voice for the industry
and other stakeholders in fisheries management at Scotland,
UK and international levels.
Supporting the Regional Advisory Councils to be
effective.
Devising better, more effective and more regionally
focused fisheries regulations.
Achieving Better Regulation of the sector
by:
- Modernising quota management in
the UK, through a wide ranging review.
- Improving effort controls, to
ensure effective conservation with flexible and fair
arrangements.
Enhancing effective enforcement:
- through a major programme of
enforcement measures pre and post landing, including
satellite tracking, administrative penalties, the
introduction of the Registration of Buyers and Sellers
of fish to improve traceability and closer working
relationships with other regulatory authorities.
- by advocating more consistent
standards of enforcement across the EU, and supporting
the harmonisation of enforcement standards through the
Community Fisheries Control Agency.
The Executive will pursue action under these commitments
with the other Fisheries administrations in the UK and
internationally in the EU and beyond as set out in the
joint UK Administrations response to the Net Benefits
report.