Ministerial visit urged

ORKNEY and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael is seeking an early visit to the northern isles from new UK fisheries minister George Eustice to discuss fish quotas.

His call follows an assurance Eustice is said to have given Shetland Islands Council leader Gary Robinson earlier this month.

Carmichael’s intervention comes as mackerel talks between coastal states begin in London on Wednesday in yet another attempt to find a solution to the four year long dispute over fishing rights.

The Scottish secretary has already met with the Scottish Pelagic Fisheries Association and will be accompanying the new minister on a visit to the north east on Thursday.
 
He said: “I am keen that the minister does visit Orkney and Shetland soon in order for him to hear the needs of the local industry in the run up to the (European) fisheries council meeting in December.

“I have always taken the view that there is no substitute for government ministers hearing from local people and seeing for themselves the realities of life in the isles. This is particularly true of fisheries ministers.”