Tag Archives: Bute House Agreement
John Swinney urged to pursue ‘sensible’ policies for fishing
Fishing chiefs have urged the new first minster to “right the wrongs” of the Bute House Agreement and put their industry towards the top of his agenda. New SNP leader John Swinney will likely be sworn in as first minister this week. The appeal for a “reset” by his administration comes as the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) launches its inaugural Industry Trends and Attitudes Report. SFF chief executive Elspeth Macdonald told The Press and Journal she hopes to gain an early insight into how Mr. Swinney’s team will approach fishing later this week. The report also highlights an “existential challenge” for Scotland’s fishing fleet. And it warns of the dangers of a “spatial squeeze” caused by geographical and regulatory restrictions in the name of conservation and the proliferation of offshore wind farms in traditional fishing grounds. These threaten the livelihoods of “thousands of people in our coastal and island communities”, the report says. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:38
Scottish fishers blast Holyrood for ‘scandalous’ marine policy tantamount to ‘greenwashing’
Mike Park was speaking as the clock ticks down on a Scottish Government consultation on its controversial proposals for Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs). Another industry leader, Elspeth Macdonald, branded the plans as “greenwashing”. And Banff and Buchan Tory MP David Duguid claimed they were “the biggest threat to the north-east fishing industry for decades”. But the government hailed its proposals as “a step change in the protection of our marine environment”. It aims to have at least 10% of Scottish waters designated as HPMAs by 2026. >click to read< 07:45
