Fishing industry sends message to Cameron over discards
Fishing industry representatives left Prime Minister David Cameron in no doubt about the need to tackle the European Commision over the discards ban.
The Prime Minister went to sea on board the Radiant Star on Wednesday on a short trip south from Lerwick and back.
The industry took the opportunity to highlight the lack of progress in finding a way to introduce the landings obligation without jeopardising the future of the local fleet.
Shetland Fisherman’s Association executive officer Simon Collins said: “We were very clear that the means must be found to overcome this blockage, which stands in the way of a very bright future for the industry here.
“The Prime Minister gets it. He clearly understands the limitations of top-heavy management from Brussels, with remote bureaucrats and MEPs trying to stuff unworkable regulations down our throats. We emphasised that there is nothing wrong with taking a second look at rules that don’t do the job they’re supposed to do.”
Mr Collins added: “We were also able to point to the dramatic recoveries in the key fish stocks around Shetland and demonstrate just how much of the UK’s fish are caught in our waters.”
As well as Mr Collins, Mr Cameron was accompanied by skipper Victor Laurenson, chairman of the Shetland Fish Producers’ Organisation; SFA chairman Leslie Tait; chairman of the SFA’s pelagic committee David Hutchison and chief executive of LHD Richie Simpson.
Matthew Whyte
cameron is english and only cares for the english vote when was the last time an english pm visited the shetlands or Scotland??
Ali Inkster
And if you gave a toss you would know that it is “Shetland” or “Shetland Isles” not “the shetlands”
BETTER AF CLEAR O DA LOT O DEM
George Kippets
Seriously, where do people get this idea that saying & writing “the Shetlands” is wrong?
Ali Inkster
Fae da sem place dat we get da idea dat it wid be wrang to say or write the englands or the scotlands.
Shuard Manson
Now Mr Kipsy, Do you call them the Londons, The Northumberlands, the Sussexes, The Westerns?
Shuard Manson
Now Kipsy. Does du caa dem da Londons, Da Surreys, Da Westerns and da Sussexes? Perhaps if you want to stay onside you should call it as the Shetlanders do? Or should we kow-tow ta dee?
I hope not.
Robert Duncan
Yesterday.
Before that it was Margaret Thatcher, and in the interim period their was only one “English PM” in office. The other two before Cameron were Scottish.
Geoff Caruth
With respect-CAMERON is English? He is at least half Scots-his Father, Grandfather,Great Grandfather etc . were all born in Scotland.
joe johnson
What about Tony Blair and Gordon Brown? Tony Blair ( who was born in Edinburgh ) is half Scottish and Gordon Brown is Scottish and did they visit Shetland when they were prime ministers. No!