What’s missing Bertie

According to the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation there is a comprehensive and growing list of conservation measures being spearheaded by the Scottish fleet which include:

• Two large decommissioning schemes in 2001 and 2003, which has resulted in a 65 per cent reduction in the Scottish whitefish fleet. Further decommissioning schemes, subject to careful analysis of need, remain a possibility.
• The adoption of an active system of closed geographical areas to fishing to protect juvenile and spawning fish – there have been 56 such closures in Scottish waters in 2009 to date.
• Working closer than ever before with government and marine scientists to ensure efficient stock monitoring. This includes the direct administration by the SFF over the last year of four extra fisheries observers on fishing vessels to help with essential scientific data gathering.
• Trialling, developing and adopting a wide range of fishing gear measures, including increased mesh sizes and escape panels in trawls to release under-sized and unwanted fish species.
• Working in partnership with scientists to develop new and more selective designs of trawls.
• Participation in independent eco-label certification schemes such as the gold-standard MSC.

All of which is fine, but there’s no mention of working with angling and conservation groups to protect and regenerate those stocks of interest to anglers.

In fact, quite to the contrary when at a recent open meeting, we have been told one of their spokespersons said " My members do not want to see the regeneration of whitefish stocks in the Clyde, because they eat the shellfish nymphs, and my members rely on the nephrops for their livelihood "

Category: SSACN Announcements