LISTEN: Scottish government to guide Estonia on fisheries negotiations
The Scottish government will provide support to Estonia when the eastern European state hosts this year’s EU fisheries negotiations.
It will be the first time Estonia has hosted the talks after it takes the presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2017.
That means it will be responsible for defining the council’s positions while taking into account the interests of all member states and remaining neutral.
A Scottish government official will be in place to provide expertise to the Estonian presidency including support around planning the December Fisheries Council – the culmination of all the end of year negotiations on the industry’s fish quotas for the year ahead.
The presidency of the council rotates among the EU member states every six months. Estonia’s Presidency was moved forward after the UK dropped out of the presidency cycle following the EU referendum vote.
Scottish rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing said: “I’m delighted that the Scottish government can use some of its expertise from years of fisheries negotiations to help Estonia host the 2017 December fisheries Council.
“While we may have less than 10 per cent of the UK population Scotland landed 78 per cent of the total UK catch of key stocks in 2015 and we are undoubtedly a key player in Europe’s fishing industry. This is an opportunity to impart some of our knowledge and experience on the breadth and depth of fisheries concerns.
“I look forward to working with Estonia later in the year and building on the strong successes at the 2016 negotiations, which secured increases for the majority of our key species and additional fishing opportunities worth around £47 million.”
The Scottish government is in the process of identifying a suitable candidate to provide expertise to Estonia.
David Spence
I am intrigued as ‘ what advice and help ‘ the Scottish Government can give to Estonia under the umbrella of Bexit, and a country (England and Wales) which will have nothing to do with the EU or countries within it?
Will such advice have to go through the channels of Westminster before Estonia can receive it?
What influence will Brexit have on Scotland, and Scotland’s input in helping other countries in regards to fishing or any other industry? Will such advice be to the advantage to Scotland or would Scotland have to give up such possibilities to Brexit, in order to make any progress?
Or will such advice Scotland may give be expendable, like the fishing industry was regarded in 1974?
Scotland’s priority is Brexit and not Estonia, as we will be forced to adhere too.
Cath Smalley
As the Scottish government have no idea how to manage the running of Scotland why do they think they are experts in the fishing industry have they forgot that the majority of fisherman voted to leave the eu and nicola sturgeon just ignores their concerns this will be another failure
i tinkler
Astonishing load of codswallop from Fergus Ewing. Did he advise Estonia about his own Governments plans to sacrifice 2000 square miles of fishing grounds, within 12 miles of Shetland’s coastline? Did he care to mention these turbines, were in future projected to be 250 meters high? Fishing gone!, seabirds killed!, orcas gone! all to finance an independence folly! It amazes me how so many on Shetland are unaware of these plans and the lengths the SNP/SG goes to keep their environmentally destructive plans quiet. A real eye opener was a discussion document prepared for Shetland Island Council which was prepared and hidden from the public, less than one year past. Do not take my word for it, just review the SG/SNP documents; “BLUE SEAS – GREEN ENERGY A Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy in Scottish Territorial waters.” (http://www.gov.scot/resource/doc/346375/0115264.pdf) page 16 is nasty.
Now review; “NORTH ATLANTIC ENERGY NETWORK” Shetland Islands Council has been involved in the wider North Atlantic Energy Network (NAEN) project since 2015! (http://www.shetland.gov.uk/economic_development/documents/North-Atlantic-Energy-Network-Report.pdf) page 22 and 23 particularly nasty here.
Now why have our political leaders kept all this so quiet? Just vague references to renewable Energy in Shetland and disengenous laments about interconnectors and wicked Westminster. Just a few questions to be consider asking at the forthcoming Council election. Why have are sycophantic Councilors kept silent, do not tell me they did not know!