A ''road map for Scotland to manage her own seas'' was unveiled today. In a detailed response to the European Commission''s Green Paper on reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the Scottish Government set out its vision to deliver improvements now and in the future for Scotland''s fishing fleets and fish stocks.
The Green Paper offers countries the opportunity to set out their principles on European fisheries policy, with detailed negotiations on the future of the CFP set for 2010 and 2011.
In their submission, Ministers reiterated their belief that the CFP should be scrapped rather than reformed. They stated that even if Scotland remains part of the CFP then powers must be returned to Member States to allow them to co-operate on a regional basis to help bring an end to the damage inflicted by Europe's most unpopular policy.
Measures aimed at securing a more profitable and sustainable future for Scotland's fishermen and environment include:
- Management measures to end discards
- Co-management of Scotland's seas with industry and marine stakeholders
- Management measures aligned with marine environmental and marine planning objectives
- A model that respects each country's historic fishing rights and that prevents quota being sold to other countries
Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said that the Scottish Government's aim is to deliver a system that is in complete contrast to the CFP. One that is 'without micromanagement' and a world away from the 'myriad of existing unworkable and complex regulations', and free from measures that actually prevent innovative conservation.
