Important issues up for discussion at EU Fisheries Council

Speaking ahead of today’s (Tuesday 29 June) European Fisheries Council meeting in Luxembourg, Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, said:

“There are two items on the agenda for today's Council of EU Fisheries Ministers: fishing opportunities for 2011 and options for reform of the CFP.  Both are vitally important and the first is of most immediate concern.

”The bulk of fisheries science – in other words how the stocks are doing - will be issued this week and will shape the decisions affecting next year.  We insist that there must be a joined-up approach by the Scottish and UK governments on this.

"The most important feature of a coherent government approach to both fishing opportunity for 2011 and the options for CFP reform will be the content and strength of argument, not the details of who is chosen to say it.  We are currently faced with a uniquely difficult set of challenges across the whole industry.  Energy must not be dissipated on arguments that are irrelevant to the needs of supporting the survival of a sustainable fishing industry."

For more information,

Bertie Armstrong,

SFF chief executive: Tel: 07801 626822,

or