Kelly urges Government to reconsider West Coast Fishing

[Kintyre Forum News]

McGrigor and Kelly urge Scottish Government to reconsider West Coast fishing restrictions.

Jamie McGrigor, Highlands & Islands Conservative MSP and the Scottish Conservative Fisheries Spokesman, has united with Councillor Donald Kelly (South Kintyre) to urge the Scottish Government to reconsider a decision to restrict prawn fishermen based on the West Coast to 2.5 days of effort per week. The restrictions from Marine Scotland are being imposed because many large East Coast vessels fished on the West Coast last year and in doing so used up the Control Total of available West Coast Effort.

Speaking today Cllr Donald Kelly, who on Thursday met with local fishermen in Kintyre to hear their concerns about the proposals from Marine Scotland, said:

“ I was extremely concerned to learn from local fishermen about the impact on their livelihoods of the fishing day restrictions being proposed by Marine Scotland.

“ I have genuine sympathy for local fishermen who represent a sector that is already fragile and whose businesses risk being made unviable due to the proposals. If implemented, Marine Scotland’s proposals would cause real harm to the local economy. The Scottish Government must intervene as a matter of urgency to resolve this matter in a way that does not risk the future of Kintyre-based fishermen.”

Jamie McGrigor MSP, who has also been approached on the subject by representatives of the Clyde Fishermen’s Association, said:

“ The Scottish Government has been aware of this issue for many months now and I myself have raised it with Ministers a number of times.

“ West Coast prawn fishermen, who continue to fish their traditional fishing grounds in a sustainable way, face being severely penalised due to the actions of boats from the other side of Scotland. They are not to blame for this state of affairs and must be given practical, usable options by Ministers that allow them to fish for more than 2.5 days per week. The current Marine Scotland proposals are potentially devastating for the businesses of skippers and the crew that work with them, as well as the onshore processing sector which depends on their catch.

“ I have written to the Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead today and urge him to intervene personally to find a solution that does not harm the West Coast prawn fishing sector.”

[Kintyre Forum News]

News release from Councillor Semple

EUROPE MAKING A COD OF CLYDE FISHERIES

Campbeltown SNP Councillor John Semple has sent a clear message to the Scottish Government that any economic recovery in Kintyre and the Clyde Coast could be severely affected if a solution cannot be found for the cuts in fishing days being proposed by Europe to protect stocks of Cod.

"Our fishing fleet on the Clyde Coast operate a very lean and efficient business model in a very competitive market. They do not Fish for Cod, nor did they cause the depletion in stocks. Local Skippers have alerted me to the proposals coming from Marine Scotland which could significantly affect their ability to compete and I have acted quickly to promote their interests."

"I have alerted ministers at the highest level in Government and arranged a meeting between Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon MSP and local Skippers representatives while The DFM was in Campbeltown this week. She listened carefully and took away the concerns and recommendations of the Skippers.

"It is not right that our fishermen suffer due to dysfunctional European regulations which were negotiated second hand by Liberal and Conservative ministers who have never even set eyes on our west coast fisheries, whilst Scotland does not yet have a seat at the table when European Ministers discuss the future of our fishermen, we do have to implement the cuts which come to us via Westminster."

"I hope that the easy accessibility I have been able to provide to the DFM will bare fruit but it is not only our fishermen who are struggling with one hand tied behind their backs, when it comes to Europe our Scottish Govrnment is too. We need our own voice in our own affairs"

[Kintyre Forum News]

And one received from Cllr Kelly too

News release from Jamie McGrigor MSP and Cllr Donald Kelly:

Deputy First Minister should intervene in west coast fishing crisis.

Jamie McGrigor, Highlands & Islands MSP, and Councillor Donald Kelly (South Kintyre) have united to call on the Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP- who was due to meet concerned Kintyre fishermen on her visit to Campbeltown today- to intervene to prevent the businesses of local fishermen being severely affected by proposed effort restriction cuts. Prawn fishermen based on the West Coast will be restricted to 2.5 days of effort per week. The restrictions from Marine Scotland are being imposed because many large East Coast vessels fished on the West Coast last year and in doing so used up the Control Total of available West Coast Effort.

Cllr Donald Kelly, who met with concerned fishermen recently and who has been working hard to raise their plight, said:

“ As I and local fishermen have warned, if these proposals go ahead as planned they will have a devastating impact not just on fishing but the entire economy of Kintyre and all the businesses connected to fishing.

“ Nicola Sturgeon needs to be made aware of the level of concern on this issue and she should intervene to use her influence to find a solution that does not risk ruining the already hard-pressed Kintyre fishing sector.”

Jamie McGrigor MSP, who is also the Scottish Conservative Fisheries Spokesman and who has already taken the matter up with the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Richard Lochhead MSP, said:

“ West coast prawn fishermen, including those based in Kintyre, face severe restrictions despite continuing to fish their traditional fishing grounds in a sustainable way. The Scottish Government and Marine Scotland have been warned about the impact of this scenario for many, many months now but have been apparently to come up with a practical solution that offers a viable way forward.

“ I hope Nicola Sturgeon, having heard the genuine anxieties and concerns of local fishermen, will press Richard Lochhead on this crucial subject.”

[paranoid android]

People connected with the tory party defending fishing rights has a large dollop of irony attached for fisherman with a slightly longer memory. Ted Heath wont be forgotten for giving up our fishing rights "for the greater good of the country" so we could join the common market. That worked out well.