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Scots face cod ban threw

28th November 2002
Page 14
Page 14, 28th November 2002 — Scots face cod ban threw
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The European Commission wants to ban cod fishing in waters surrounding the British Isles. As a result fish hauliers in Scotland are waiting anxiously to find out if the Eurocrats are going to hammer the final nail into their industrial coffin. Emma Penny reports.

• Thousands of jobs will be lost if cod fishing is banned. That's the stark message being driven home by campaigners in north-east Scotland as they frantically lobby the UK government and Brussels in an effort to remove the threat of a total ban. And included in those thousands will be haulage operators and their drivers.

Fish hatters have faced hard times before—quota cuts and competition from foreign operators have both affected the industry. In recent years, several well-known operators have given up or collapsed because the market is so tough; high-profile examples include Gibbs of Fraserburgh, Arthur Eddie and R&M Chillspeed.

But now Scottish fish hauliers face their biggest threat yet. About a month ago EU Fishing Commissioner Franz Fischler sent shock waves through the Scottish fishing industry by announcing that he was planning to impose a complete ban on cod fishing in the North Sea, Irish Sea and waters off the West Coast of Scotland.

The move came after sdentists said cod stocks were at dangerously low levels.

Any ban would have far-reaching con. sequences, and would hit Scotland particularly hard as its fishermen catch the most cod. Communities in the north-east of Scotland are particulat dependent on white fish; Peterhead is the biggest white fish port in Europe. The fishing industry contributes £208m to the local economy and it's estimated that every fisherman laid off we take seven or eight shore-based jobs with him.

Shattering effect

Haulers and drivers, of course, count within that number. Pat Giancey. area manager for the Road Haulage Association in Scotland and Northern Ireland, has already warned that any ban would have a shattering effect on his members (CM 31 Oct-6 Nov): "The economic impact to the ports on the east coast of Scotland would be devastating."

That's a message underlined by local MP Alex Salmond. "In this area, fishing directly affects everything, and haulage is a key aspect of that—it will have a big effect."

An additional problem facing fishermen is that they can't simply switch to catching another species of white fish, because it's impossible to prevent "by r,atching" cod when fishing for haddock or whiting. And there's no scope to increase mesh size to let cod through as it's the biggest fish boats catch.

Some hauliers have said that whatever happens there will still be fish to be moved, even if they are fish of another species. Others are

unwilling to speculate on the effects of any ban until it comes into place, finding this is the only way to deal with the current uncertainty.

Marshall Watson of Peterhead Transport says the situation is 'very concerning", but adds that he doesn't know what the outcome will be. His company relies exclusively on fish; 80% of its work I is generated by carrying white fish; the rest of its loads are salmon.

But he believes that there will always be a job for hauliers carrying fish: "There will always be a fish industry of some sort —a lot of fish comes From the Faroes and Iceland."

However, other specialist hauliers are not so sure. Raymond Simpson, MD of Aberdeen-based R&I Simpson, says t his firm will close with the loss of 60 jot the ban is implemented, for a simple r son: "Without fish, we have no work."

However, some companies belii that they will have to continue doing w they started several years ago—di% sify. Jim Killoh, MD of Fraserburgh-ba: JA Killoh, agrees that any ban would h a knock-on effect on hauliers, but already been forced to diversify fr fresh to frozen fish, as well as cam loads such as soft fruit.

Marked effect Any ban woud have a marked effect Scottish fish hauliers, and the lobbyin continuing apace. But everyone ovoli is worried that there simply isn't eno time to fight the ban.

And a softening in the stance adop by Fischler—he says he might accept 80% "reduction in effort" by fishermel is no comfort, Cutting catches by t amount, or even 50%, is something industry can't afford: skippers warn t it would have the same effect as a ban Fishing trade groups expect to h Brussels' final word on the proposed I within weeks. But there's a mood of d ance in Scotland. Hauliers may yet ki their jobs because fishermen say 1 come what may, they will be sailing ou ports on January 1, 2003—the day a ban would come into play.


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