The Scottish fisheries minister is to take steps to require Scottish pelagic vessels to land more of their catch in Scotland rather than abroad.
He has told the Scots pelagic catching and processing sector that Marine Scotland will not allocate 12% of the 2017 mackerel quota, pending an analysis of how much mackerel is being landed into Scotland and how much abroad. A meeting with the pelagic sector to discuss the move will take place at the end of the current early season mackerel fishery, expected later this month. Full details of the withheld quota will be confirmed when provisional quota allocations are made in March.
In a letter to the Scottish pelagic sector seen by Fishing News, Fergus Ewing says the government’s ‘primary objectives’ in allocating quota is to benefit not just fishermen but all businesses that depend on fishing. It says economic benefits should be shared and ‘contribute to more inclusive economic growth’…. (Read More) Source: Fishing News