Defra has announced that Huw Irranca-Davies MP has replaced Jonathan Shaw as UK fisheries minister.
Mr Irranca-Davies joins Defra from the Wales Office where he has been Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales since June 2007.
Speaking with regards to this appointment, Scottish Fishermen's Federation chief executive, Bertie Armstrong, said:
“While ministerial reshuffles are nothing new, the timing here is extremely unhelpful and could not have come at a more inopportune time, given that vital and complex negotiations to set quotas and fisheries management measures for 2009 are about to begin in earnest, with there being a very intense period of activity from now right up until the December EC Fisheries Council.
“Given the predominance of the Scottish fishing industry in overall UK terms, it is now more vital than ever that Scotland exerts its influence to ensure that a fair and equitable deal is reached for 2009.
“We will be pressing for an early meeting with Mr Irranca-Davies to brief him on the Scottish industry and highlight our principal areas of concern.”
