Tag Archives: Scotland’s fishermen
EU referendum: Would Scotland’s fishermen be better in or out?
The fishing industry plays a key role in the economy of the North East of Scotland. Ahead of the EU referendum on 23 June, I spoke to two different camps of opinion-Ken Banks. “I have not met a local fisherman yet who would not pack his bags and leave the EU.” The words of Jimmy Buchan – skipper of Peterhead’s Amity II who featured in the BBC’s Trawlermen series. He has worked at sea since leaving school in 1976. The 55-year-old’s feelings on the forthcoming referendum on whether the UK should stay in the EU are clear – leave in a bid to secure a future for fishermen. The Aberdeenshire town of Peterhead is Europe’s largest white fish port, so the topic could hardly be more crucial. The Scottish government believes that EU membership is in the “best interests” of Scotland’s fishing industry. Read the rest here 19:21
Scotland’s fishermen look forward to EU referendum
When it comes to the EU referendum, one industry where you’ll find very strong views is fishing. Paul Moss went to the main Scottish fishing port of Peterhead to canvass opinion. Charles Buchan, a member of Aberdeenshire Council, explained to me why he supported Britain’s membership of the European Union, and why in particular he thought it was good for the local fishing industry here in Peterhead. “Fishermen are allowed to land their catches in Germany, in Denmark… we’ve got longstanding ties with Europe and it would be terrible to break them,” he says. Jimmy Buchan’s position is typical (he’s no relation of Charles Buchan). He achieved national fame as the star of a BBC TV series, Trawlerman. When we meet on the dockside in Peterhead, he greets me with a cheerful grin, and friendly, avuncular manner. Yet he makes no attempt to hide his contempt for the regulations that the European Union enforces. Read the rest here 17:03
