Friday 29 March 2024
 6°C   SSE Gentle Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Letters / Vote to have a say in fishing (European Parliament elections)

It will be interesting to see how fishing communities vote in the European Parliament elections on 23 May. Some may be tempted to abstain, seeing that we’re leaving the EU anyway (maybe). And, after all, the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy has been a complete disaster, hasn’t it?

The answer to that question (rather surprisingly to someone who in 1973 opposed joining the European Common Market because of the CFP) is “No”.

The fact is that the Shetland fishing industry is currently doing quite well, despite the CFP. It could certainly do better if Europe modified the CFP to give more preference to locally based boats, restricted some kinds of environmentally destructive gear (for example, tangle nets set on the seabed) and paid more attention to the information and opinions of the Shetland fleet.

It would also help if the Scottish Government had the money for more fishery protection staff, vessels and aircraft.

Even with Mrs May’s ‘deal’, Shetland’s seafood exports would face serious obstacles from tariffs. A ‘no-deal’ Brexit would be a financial catastrophe, particularly for the shellfish boats. The only sane course is to ‘remain and reform’, as Mr Corbyn used to say in the 2016 EU referendum, before he nailed his colours to the Brexit mast.

Leaving the EU would not alter the fact that foreign vessels have historic rights to fish in our waters, established long before the UK joined Europe.

Since 1973 many of them have bought catch quota, legally, from willing sellers in the UK. We’ve already seen that the Conservative government is quite happy to betray the fishing fleet by allowing CFP terms and foreign access to continue if we do leave the EU. So we wouldn’t “get our waters back” as that braying ignoramus Farage claims.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

 

It’s true that some ‘stranger’ boats (including foreign-owned but British-registered vessels) are up to fairly dodgy practices just over the horizon, and sometimes closer to shore.

Local trawlers are often obstructed and their gear fouled by foreigners’ long lines and drift nets stretching for miles. This is usually ‘legal’ but it’s not exactly neighbourly and it’s rarely sustainable. The answer to this problem lies not in leaving the EU but in having a greater say in better enforcement of more sensible rules.

Under all of the possible options for the UK leaving the EU, we’d end up as rule takers rather than rule makers, with Scotland’s representatives as mere observers.

We’d no longer even have the pathetic token of a UK Fisheries Minister negotiating in Brussels. That post would continue to be the lowest form of British ministerial life because fishing doesn’t matter at all to the UK Government. It matters a great deal to Scotland, where the industry’s a significant part of the economy.

If Scotland really is dragged out of the EU without our consent, the case for independence will be very much stronger. But whether an independent Scotland then chose to rejoin the EU or opted for a Norwegian-style association, as a self-governing country we’d have real power and influence over the future of fishing.

For that reason alone, it makes sense to vote for a say on 23 May, whether you voted to leave or remain three years ago. It makes even more sense to vote for the only party that’s serious about defending the Scottish fishing industry, the party that has a real chance of winning three of Scotland’s six seats in Strasbourg – the SNP.

Jonathan Wills
Sundside
Bressay

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.