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Outcome of fish talks
19/12/2007
Scotland's fishermen are to be rewarded with extra days at sea in recognition of their approach to conservation, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said in Brussels as the annual EU fisheries talks concluded today.
The main points of the deal are:
- agreement to grant full flexibility for Scotland to decide how days at sea are allocated allowing extra days to be granted to vessels that adopt conservation measures
- a reduction in the proposed cuts in days at sea for the west coast prawn fleet from 25 per cent to 10 per cent
- increased quotas for Rockall haddock (up 50 per cent) and North Sea megrim (up eight per cent), and a much-reduced cut for west coast herring (20 per cent as opposed to the proposed 56 per cent) - this follows the 11 per cent increase in North Sea cod last month, the first such increase in a decade
Mr Lochhead said:
"This year's deal represents a new approach to fisheries conservation. As a direct result of the leadership shown by the Scottish Government and the Scottish industry, a new system which we will call Conservation Credits will be introduced.
"This means Scotland's fishermen will be rewarded for their commitment to sustainable fishing practices. We can do this because of our success in persuading Europe to pass responsibility of the management of fishing effort to the Scottish Government.
"This groundbreaking initiative has been made possible thanks to a historic agreement with the European Commission which will, for the first time, give Scotland flexibility over how fishing days are allocated to its fleet. Previously, the management of days at sea were decided in Brussels.
"Europe's go-ahead to develop Conservation Credits recognises and rewards the responsible leadership our industry has shown in implementing innovative measures to reduce discards and protect juvenile stocks. My aim is to have a new system up and running by the start of February and I will work closely with the industry in the month ahead.
"Our Conservation Credits will potentially enable Scottish fishermen to fish the same number of days next year as this year as part a set of Scottish arrangements. Scotland has blazed a trail for the whole of Europe by adopting sustainable fishing practices.
"This is a great example of the Scottish Government working hand-in-hand with the industry to create a sustainable future for fishing. This is exactly the kind of fresh start we promised for the industry.
"Many aspects of this year's negotiations were extremely challenging given the scientific advice, with some particular disappointments for the pelagic sector.
"The preposterous negotiating mechanisms imposed by the discredited Common Fisheries Policy means that we have not been able to secure everything we had hoped for. While some important quotas have increased, others have been reduced but it is important to remember that the vast majority of quotas, such as the increase in North Sea cod quota, were decided earlier in the year."
Parts of the deal agreed today which affect Scotland are:
- allowing Scotland to flexibly allocate days at sea to the Scottish fleet as it feels appropriate
- the go-ahead to develop a new system of Conservation Credits, which we aim to have in place by February 1 2008 - this will enable the overall days at sea allocated to Scotland to be managed more sensitively and reward initiatives to promote more sustainable fishing opportunities by reallocating effort across the fleet
- the option to bring forward a Discards Reduction Plan based on measures to reduce cod discards and to gain additional fishing opportunities
- headline cut at days at sea of 10 per cent for the prawn fleet
- headline white fish fleet cuts of 18 per cent on the west coast and 10 per cent in the North Sea - in Scotland these will be 10 per cent and six per cent respectively because of decommissioning