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29th November 2002
Fishermen and quota-traders have been warned to “examine their consciences” before selling or leasing entitlements to flag vessels.
The admonition that efforts to battle Iberian access to the North Sea could be in vain if fishermen sell quota to foreign interests follows rumours that a Spanish flagship is gearing up to fish prawns in the North Sea.
It would be the first such vessel to fish the area, although several Dutch beamers are flagged from east coast ports in Scotland and England.
Scottish Fishermen's Federation president Alex Smith said that any progress made in the forthcoming cod recovery and CFP reform talks could be eroded by selling of Scottish entitlements.
“The Federation has spent so much time trying to secure the interests of Scottish fishermen in the North Sea and while we are doing this there are others that are seeking to encourage Spanish vessels into the North Sea by selling quota and setting up flag ship operations.
“That’s a serious road to go down and people should be examining their conscience. People must stand up and be counted and say if they want to be involved with speculators. The last thing we want is 40 metre freezer trawlers coming up here and towing away at prawns.”
Scottish White Fish Producers Association chairman Mike Park said: “If you are talking about reduced resources next year, to bring a flag ship up to the North East, to fish North East quotas, it is a sad reflection on us that for as long as we have tried to keep out these guys, men are now willing to lease and sell their birthright for the pound.”
Mr Park said that while such operations might be perfectly legal, but if Spanish money was involved it was “subsidised money” using loopholes to “draw blood from the North East”.
By Peter Johnson
FIS Europe
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