Dave Thompson MSP

Speaking in today's debate on the Autumn Fisheries Negotiations, Highlands & Islands SNP MSP Dave Thompson urgently called for stability to be the main goal of the new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) proposals when launched in 2010.

The current CFP is the European Union's instrument for the management of fisheries, which Scotland was entered into in 2002, and will operate through 2012.  The European Commission launched a green paper on the future of the CFP in April 2009 which focuses on wholesale reform and concedes many of the failings of the current CFP.

Commenting, Mr Thompson said: "Fishing is crucial to the Highlands and Islands, which has around two-thirds of the Scottish fleet and where fishing directly supports nearly 3,000 jobs.  The Common Fisheries Policy is in a dire state and the latest round of proposals do not reflect the reality of what is going on at sea, nor the composite effect of quotas and effort control cuts within the cod recovery plan.

"The proposed cuts on the West Coast are particularly perverse as they will only force more boats into the North Sea.  This has happened already this year with West Coast trawlers fishing for squid in the Moray Firth and South Caithness Coast.  Cuts in the Total Allowable Catches and Quotas, recommended by the Commission, show decreases in West Coast Haddock of 54%, whiting of 25%, and a crippling 90% cut in Spurdog quotas meaning virtually all dogs will have to be wasted and discarded.  That is complete madness.

"It is no wonder that many in the industry now see further decommissioning as the only way forward.  What the industry really needs is stability.  They need a survivable quota and a system that is not constantly changing and reworking itself.  We must get away from a system where many fishermen, particularly on the West Coast, take home less than £10,000 a year from the most dangerous job in the country.

"I also took the opportunity today to advise the Fisheries Secretary to ca canny on the introduction of CCTV, which is strongly opposed by the Scottish fleet.

Notes:

The European Commission launched the review of the Common Fisheries Policy 29 September 2008.

On 22 April 2009, the Commission adopted a Green Paper on a reform of the Common Fisheries Policy to trigger and encourage public debate and to elicit views on the future CFP.

After the public debate the Commission will develop a proposal to be presented to the Council and the European Parliament with a view to adoption for a reform to be in effect from 2013.