News / ‘A disaster for Shetland’ – councillors and election candidate criticise fishing deal
POLITICAL hopefuls and local councillors have criticised a deal between the UK and EU which will give European fishing boats continued access to British waters.
The 12-year deal will allow EU vessels to continue to fish around the UK, but the UK Government has hailed it as a deal which “protects Britain’s fishing access, fishing rights and fishing areas”.
Hannah Mary Goodlad, who is standing as the SNP’s candidate for the next Scottish parliamentary elections, said it was “now undeniable” that Scottish fisheries should be “wholly managed by Scotland”.
“We should be disappointed, though not surprised, that Westminster has once again let down the Scottish and Shetland fishing industries,” Goodlad told Shetland News.
“Shetland alone lands more fish than England, Wales, and Ireland combined.
“And yet, over 600 miles away, three UK prime ministers – Edward Heath, Boris Johnson, and now Keir Starmer – have each sold out our fishing industry.
“Surely it is now undeniable: our fisheries must be wholly managed from Scotland, and as locally as possible, by those who understand and depend on them.
“Shetland must have the strongest possible voice at that negotiating table.”
The council’s environment and transport committee chairwoman Moraig Lyall was similarly unimpressed by the deal.
“Everything I’ve heard from the local fishing organisations over recent months tells me that this is terrible news for their sector and that there will be widespread disappointment at this missed opportunity to have greater ability to manage and control fishing activity in UK waters,” she said.
“Having had the expectation that the current deal was due to finish next year, crews now face an additional 12 years with EU boats operating within UK waters and not facing the level of scrutiny that the actions of some merit.
“There has been a lot of confused comments around how this is a great deal because 70 per cent of our seafood is sold to Europe, but it already is so that is no gain.
“Also, it is unclear whether the EU boats will continue to pay in fishing quota for access to UK waters.
“If not, this is a backwards step.”
Green councillor Alex Armitage called the deal a “disaster for Shetland”, saying he was “furious” about it.
“Allowing a continued free-for-all for fishing crews from all over the EU is ecologically dangerous,” he said.
“The total fishing effort in Shetland’s fishery is too high as things stand – particularly with the intensive fishing methods such as gillnetting and longlining currently employed by EU boats.
“As global warming causes a decline in the productivity of fisheries in French, Spanish and Portuguese waters, it is likely that more EU boats venture further north, increasing the pressure on Shetland’s fisheries.”
Armitage said that Faroese fishermen used to be “inspired” by their Shetland counterparts, but would now be “looking on at us with pity”.
“Whilst Faroe has the power to democratically manage its own fishery, Shetland’s fishers are beholden to often tone-deaf decisions made in Holyrood,” he said.
“Now the Westminster government has blundered in with this trade deal and completely sold out Shetland’s most important industry. I’m furious.
“Keir Starmer’s government has been all about managed decline – except they’re not managing it.
“It’s clear to me that Shetland should have the power to democratically manage our own fisheries. We have all the expertise locally to do this effectively; if the Faroese do it, so can we.”
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