By Doug Kennedy
BBC Scotland news website |
 Trawlers face having less days a year to fish |
Fisheries Minister Ross Finnie has insisted he is "resolutely opposed" to any reduction in days at sea for Scotland's white fish fleet. It comes as ministers from across Europe gather in Brussels to thrash out fishing quotas for the year ahead.
Scottish fishermen who can currently spend 180 days a year catching cod face having the figure cut to 164 days.
The Scottish Fishermen's Federation warned a reduction could threaten the viability of part of the fleet.
The minister will be in Brussels for the crucial three-day talks, which start on Tuesday.
The European Commission has also proposed a 15% cut in cod quotas and 12.6% for haddock, down from a figure of 41% demanded by Norway.
However, increases of 30% in the North Sea prawn catch and 39% on the west coast, the fleet's most lucrative fishery, have been secured.
Mr Finnie told BBC Scotland's news website: "We are resolutely opposed to the cut in days and this was made clear to the commission in November - it is set to be the most controversial proposal.
"There is an issue of juvenile cod in amongst prawn stocks.
"The commission has proposed a reduction in days, what we have is a counter proposal to separate prawn and juvenile cod, with the use of a larger mesh or square mesh."
'Edge of viability'
Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the SFF, said he was fairly pleased with initial proposals, but disappointed with plans for haddock.
He said: "This haddock stock is sustainable, it is regarded at being near full capacity and a reduction would be worrying for the fleet and processing industry.
"The most worrying part of negotiations would be a 15% reduction in white fish days at sea, which we would see as unacceptable."
"We have already reduced effort by 65%, taking the white fish industry to the edge of viability, with skippers already have to pay to lease more days, lease quotas."
Mr Finnie said that sustainability of the industry had to balance environmental concerns with the impact on fishing communities.
"We are as confident as we can be that we are well prepared and have been making our case with the fishing industry and the governments concerned," he said.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
We are as confident as we can be that we are well prepared and have been making our case with the fishing industry and the governments concerned
