Scot fishermen in dismay over EU cod plan

Just making ends meet: Britain's North Sea fishing fleet is struggling

EDINBURGH, Scotland (Reuters) -- Scotland's fishermen have reacted with dismay to a European Union proposal to halve North Sea cod quotas, saying the last-gasp bid to save stocks from extinction could sound the death knell for the industry.

"This is very bad news," Ian Duncan of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation said of the EU's plan announced on Friday. "If these recommendations come into force in their present form, it would be a near fatal blow for large parts of the industry."

Scotland's 6,700 fishermen make up around 70 percent of the British North Sea fishing fleet and many communities on the northeast coast rely on fishing for their survival.

North Sea cod stocks are at their lowest since records began in 1963, prompting scientists to believe they cannot last.

There are now 70,000 tonnes of adult, spawning-aged cod left in the North Sea, way below the 250,000 tonnes recorded in 1970.

Over-fishing is largely to blame, although fishermen also point to a rising seal population and warmer oceans.

"There is no way around it: to have a fishing industry, we need fish. Fishermen have acknowledged they cannot catch their quotas and that stocks need to be rebuilt," EU Farm and Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler said.

As a result, the Commission proposed halving next year's North Sea cod quota to 40,000 tonnes.

Cod is one of the most important fish in the North Sea, with an annual catch worth around £45 million ($65 million) to the Scottish industry.

EU ministers meet on December 14 to decide how much of the quota each nation gets, although Britain always takes the lion's share.

Desolate streets and boarded-up houses in fishing ports such as Peterhead and Fraserburgh are witness to the decline of the Scottish fleet from as many as 20,000 fishermen a decade ago.

A lack of investment in new boats and equipment also raises concerns over safety, as cash-strapped fishermen are forced to fish further afield and for longer.

"There is a disaster waiting to happen," Peterhead trawlerman George Geddes said. "But nobody can get loans for a new boat in the current environment."

Friday's proposals, which would effectively place a cap on revenues, would make it even more difficult for the industry make ends meet, Duncan said.

"They can't the limit the catch by such amounts and expect the fleet to remain viable," Duncan said.

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European Union - Fisheries
Scottish Fishermen's Federation
UK Ministry of Fishing: Fishing industry

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