WHITEFORD WELCOMES SNP GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT TO REGIONAL MANAGEMENT OF FISHERIES

SNP Westminster candidate for Banff & Buchan Eilidh Whiteford has welcomed assurances from First Minister and local MP Alex Salmond that returning management of fishing grounds to regional control is at the core of what the Scottish Government believes should replace the Common Fisheries Policy.

In response to a question from North-east MSP Maureen Watt Mr Salmond confirmed that the SNP Government would work hard to bring control over historic fishing grounds to Scottish control and praised the Scottish fleet on their continued innovations.

Commenting, Eilidh Whiteford said:

“It is clear that the CFP’s top down, inflexible approach has been totally ineffective and I welcome the assurance that the SNP Government will seek to make management of fishing grounds more effective through regional control.

“The fishing industry itself has the most to gain from making fishing a sustainable, profitable industry and the Scottish fleet has been at the cutting edge of innovations to encourage this such as real time closures. As such, it is absolutely right that decisions over what the best measures are for Scottish fishing grounds should be taken in Scotland.

“I sincerely hope that the UK Government will follow Scotland’s lead and recognise that decentralising responsibility for historic fishing grounds must be at the heart of negotiations over what should replace the Common Fisheries Policy”.