News / Discards ban concerns
SHETLAND Fishermen’s Association wants the European Parliament to have a fresh look at the discards ban, which comes into force in 18 months.
Its chief officer Simon Collins said concern was growing at the lack of finding practical ways to implement the legislation.
The association has already received a commitment from the UK government to be as flexible as possible in implementing and enforcing the discards ban.
On Thursday, Collins said the reformed Common Fisheries Policy was ill-suited to Shetland’s highly productive fishing grounds.
“There’s not one fisherman in Shetland who wants to throw away good fish, and the sooner we can eliminate discards the better.
“But the rules have to be workable, otherwise our boats will be placed in an impossible situation.
“Business failures would have a huge knock-on effect on a tiny island community where the options for alternative employment are extremely limited.
“It was never the intention of policymakers to destroy communities like ours. We would also point out that one of the primary aims of the CFP, written into the legislation alongside the discard ban, is to generate ‘economic, social and economic benefits’.
“With so much at stake for jobs and our island life, it would be entirely proper and reasonable for the new crop of parliamentarians in Brussels to take a fresh, common sense look at discard ban implementation,” Collins said.
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