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Scotland's fishing industry: Lochhead hails talks 'significant step forward' | Scotland's fishing industry: Lochhead hails talks 'significant step forward' |
(34 minutes later) | |
Scotland's Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead has described talks over reforms to the Common Fisheries Policy as a "significant step forward". | Scotland's Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead has described talks over reforms to the Common Fisheries Policy as a "significant step forward". |
Ministers from across Europe spent the night in Brussels where they agreed new rules to stop dumping dead fish. | Ministers from across Europe spent the night in Brussels where they agreed new rules to stop dumping dead fish. |
They also agreed to decentralise decision making, which would allow member states more control over their own fisheries. | They also agreed to decentralise decision making, which would allow member states more control over their own fisheries. |
However, WWF Scotland said the proposals lacked any real detail. | However, WWF Scotland said the proposals lacked any real detail. |
The European Parliament must now agree the measures. | The European Parliament must now agree the measures. |
Following the agreement in the early hours, Mr Lochhead said: "For decades we have fought to bring more control over our fishing sector out of Brussels to local fisheries. | Following the agreement in the early hours, Mr Lochhead said: "For decades we have fought to bring more control over our fishing sector out of Brussels to local fisheries. |
"The regionalisation deal which has been agreed will allow a degree of decision making to be brought back from Brussels." | "The regionalisation deal which has been agreed will allow a degree of decision making to be brought back from Brussels." |
He added: "The other key plank in discussions was ensuring that after securing a historic agreement in February to finally end the dreadful practice of discards, we worked out the details of how the discard ban will operate. | He added: "The other key plank in discussions was ensuring that after securing a historic agreement in February to finally end the dreadful practice of discards, we worked out the details of how the discard ban will operate. |
"It was crucial - and very challenging - to get all member states to agree to the implementation of ambitious and enforceable landing obligations." | "It was crucial - and very challenging - to get all member states to agree to the implementation of ambitious and enforceable landing obligations." |
Chief Executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, Bertie Armstrong, said the talks had delivered "good news" for the industry. | Chief Executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, Bertie Armstrong, said the talks had delivered "good news" for the industry. |
He said: "We have yet to see the details but with the political decision to ban discards already taken, we seem to have achieved a mostly common-sense position on its introduction with the first phase postponed until 2015 and a certain amount of flexibility built into the rest of the programme." | |
WWF Scotland said the agreement was a positive step forward, but called for ministers to be more ambitious with the reforms. | WWF Scotland said the agreement was a positive step forward, but called for ministers to be more ambitious with the reforms. |
Helen McLachlan, fisheries programme manager at WWF Scotland, said: "The devil is in the detail, but in this case it's the lack of detail, as fisheries ministers decided on a legally neutral text with few binding timelines and concrete measures. | Helen McLachlan, fisheries programme manager at WWF Scotland, said: "The devil is in the detail, but in this case it's the lack of detail, as fisheries ministers decided on a legally neutral text with few binding timelines and concrete measures. |
"If implemented as such, poor management of our fish stocks and the knock on effect it has on our seas is likely to continue for yet another decade. | "If implemented as such, poor management of our fish stocks and the knock on effect it has on our seas is likely to continue for yet another decade. |
"This is a once in a decade opportunity to safeguard fish stocks and the communities that depend on them." | "This is a once in a decade opportunity to safeguard fish stocks and the communities that depend on them." |