This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Minister vows to fight quota cuts
04/12/2001
The Fisheries Minister has expressed profound disappointment at the European Commission's draft proposals - which sets out quotas for the main European commercial fisheries for next year - to cut quotas for Nephrops stocks for 2002.
Responding to the proposals that are to be discussed at the Fisheries Council of Ministers which meets later this month in Brussels, Ross Finnie said:
"I am profoundly disappointed by the European Commission proposals on Nephrops and I intend to oppose them vigorously. Nephrops stocks are very important to the Scottish fleet.
"The stocks are healthy but the Commission wishes to cut these quotas because they believe that this will protect cod which is sometimes caught with Nephrops. We have presented data to the Commission which shows that cutting Nephrops quotas will have a negligible effect on cod recovery, but will cause great difficulties for our fishermen."
"I will attend the Fisheries Council as part of the UK negotiating team. The UK is an influential player in these negotiations and I hope that we can use that position of strength to pressure the Commission into revoking these unacceptable cuts."
Every year the European Commission publishes a draft proposal which sets out quota levels for the main commercial fisheries of interest to EU fleets. Proposed quotas generally follow the scientific advice. However cuts beyond what is scientifically acceptable have been proposed by the Commission for a number of stocks which are caught with cod. Cod stocks are in a poor condition at the Commission argue that stocks which take cod as a bycatch should be cut back to give the cod greater protection.
At last year's December Fisheries Council a cut of ten per cent of the Nephrops quota was established as the Commission considered this fishery to take substantial amounts of cod. However, the UK has lobbied the Commission, providing evidence that the cut in the Nephrops fishery has negligible benefits to cod.
The Commission has proposed for next year further cuts to Nephrops quotas, by up to twenty five per cent in spite of scientific advice which indicates these stocks are in good health. The UK does not consider such cuts to be an effective or justifiable means of protecting cod.
The Scottish Executive is currently examining the Commission proposal in consultation with colleagues across the UK, scientists and representatives of the fishing industry. A debate on these issues will be held in the Scottish Parliament next Thursday. European Fisheries Ministers will debate