North Sea RAC met at the Hub in Edinburgh

He opened the inaugural meeting of the new North Sea Regional Advisory Council (RAC) in Edinburgh on Thursday.

It is one of seven new bodies covering specific fishing areas to ensure that the industry's voice is heard.

Scottish Fisheries Minister Ross Finnie said it was a milestone but opponents dubbed the body a talking shop.

The councils were created under reforms of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

The North Sea RAC was the first body of its kind to be established and its first responsibility was to elect an executive committee.

Public scrutiny

Two thirds of the seats in the RAC's assembly and on its executive have been allotted to representatives of the fisheries sector, with the final third going to representatives of the other interest groups affected by the CFP.

The meeting was attended by fishing organisations and environmental and consumer groups and government officials from the UK, Denmark, Netherlands, France, Belgium, Sweden, Germany Spain and Poland.

Opening the meeting at the Hub, Mr McConnell said he thought the new body would help people understand the "positive benefits" of the EU.

For the first time, stakeholders with a direct interest in the CFP can have a direct say in the way in which the European Union fisheries are managed Ross Finnie Fisheries Minister

He said: "I have absolutely no doubt that this newly established council will be a focal point, a centre of activity for all those involved in, or affected by, the fishing industry around the north east of Scotland and the North Sea.

"The fishing industry has always been of very great importance to Scotland.

"It is part of our history and part of our heritage, but it has also got to be part of our future too. Because of that, we have to do what we can to make it sustainable in the long term."

He said a way had to be found of supporting the industry while dealing with precious stocks.

Mr Ross Finnie said the meeting was a "key milestone" in delivering reform of the CFP.

Talking shops

He said: "For the first time, stakeholders with a direct interest in the CFP can have a direct say in the way in which the European Union fisheries are managed.

"We need to maintain a momentum of change, starting today."

But the Scottish Tories' fisheries spokesman Ted Brocklebank said: "Regional advisory councils are no more than toothless talking shops.

"They will be under-funded by Europe for the first five years, and then stakeholders will be expected to pay for an organisation with no powers."

He said the Conservatives would withdraw from the CFP and set up regional management committees which would have "real powers".

The EU will decide on the size of North Sea catches

Scottish National Party fisheries spokesman Richard Lochhead wished the new council well - but agreed that it would be "nothing short of a worthy but glorified talking shop".

"The real decisions will be taken in Brussels this December at the annual bun fight between the 25 member states of the EU with Scotland absent and even landlocked countries having more of say over the future of the North Sea than we do," he said.

While the Greens hit out at both parties and said their political games flew in the face of accepted scientific advice and industry wishes.

MSP Robin Harper said: "Political exploitation of fishing communities is a major reason why we have seen overfishing for decades, and we are sadly seeing it again.

"The Tories and the SNP led the way earlier in the year with their calls for getting out of the CFP in their 'blame the foreigners' approach which wasn't even supported by 90% of the fishing industry.

"We will be on the look out for those calling for more and more fishing, even though scientific evidence for caution is staring them in the face."

Minimise losses

Next year's catch limits will be set by fisheries ministers in Brussels.

A recent scientific report said no cod should be caught next year in the North Sea, Irish Sea or off the west coast of Scotland due to depleted stocks.

However, North Sea haddock stocks are said to be at a record high.