The fishing industry provides thousands of jobs in rural areas

Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead declared the executive would be "relentless" in defending the interests of the fishing industry.

Mr Lochhead also unveiled plans to set up a partnership programme between the fishing organisations and scientists.

He set out the proposals at the Fish 2007 exhibition, where he promised a "fresh start" for the industry.

Mr Lochhead told the exhibition, in Glasgow, that he hoped a partnership between the Scottish Fishermen's Federation and the government's Fisheries Research Service would deliver in-depth research more quickly in key areas identified by the industry.

'Informed debate'

He said: "We will give it the support it deserves and push for improvements at every level. We will be constructive in our approaches and seek to build consensus at all levels, building on progress already made."

Mr Lochhead, whose brief includes fishing, said Scotland had the largest fishing zone of any EU country and the largest part of Europe's productive northern fishing grounds, but claimed Scottish fishing had not been treated as a priority in the past.

"The new Scottish government will be relentless in its pursuit of the Scottish fishing interest at all levels," he said.

"That means better representation at UK and European level so that the voice of Scotland is clearly heard. We need an honest and informed debate on the ills of the common fisheries policy.

"We need a system that works with and not around fishermen and one where fishermen and fishing communities have a genuine voice in decision-making."

We need an honest and informed debate on the ills of the common fisheries policy. Richard Lochhead Fisheries secretary

Mr Lochhead said he believed fishing had a central role in the history and heritage of Scotland, and that it still provided tens of thousands of jobs and generated hundreds of millions of pounds for the economy.

He added: "We need a system that works with and not around fishermen and one where fishermen and fishing communities have a genuine voice in decision making.

"This will be at the core of our new Convention on the Future of Scotland's Fishing Communities - actively involving and listening to all the voices in those communities."