European Union Fisheries Negotiations

The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick): The next item of business is a statement by Richard Lochhead on the annual European Union fisheries negotiations. I note that Claire Baker and Jamie McGrigor, the two major Opposition party spokespeople, are not in the chamber; notwithstanding, I call Richard Lochhead. Mr Lochhead, you have 13 minutes.

14:14
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Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP):

Will the cabinet secretary confirm what role the Scottish Government has had in seeking to resolve the mackerel dispute with the Faroe Islands and Iceland?

Richard Lochhead: That is a huge issue for thousands of families in Scotland whose livelihoods depend on Scotland’s most valuable fish stock, mackerel. Therefore, it is very frustrating that the international negotiating framework has virtually broken down, meaning that the previous 10-year agreement has not been replaced. Instead, we are seeing unilateral quotas being fished by Iceland and the Faroe Islands. I continue to urge those countries to come back to the table so that we can have a sensible negotiation.

If we have to go down the road of sanctions, we want those to be in place as soon as possible in order to show those countries that we mean business. It is in no one’s interest—not the interests of the fishing communities in those countries or the interests of our countries—if the stock is fished out and all our respective industries lose thousands of livelihoods. It is really important that we all get back around the table as soon as possible. As I said previously—I say it again to Stewart Stevenson because I know that it is an important issue in his constituency—we are now trying to think out of the box to find new ways that could lead to a breakthrough in the international negotiations.