Scotland’s £3million-plus herring industry escaped a severe blow at the end-of-year fishing talks in Brussels last night.
Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead – as part of the UK negotiating team – persuaded ministers from other EU member states and the European Commission not to follow scientists’ advice for a zero catch of the fish west of Scotland.
A total of 22 Scottish boats have west of Scotland herring quota, all working out of Fraserburgh, Peterhead or Lerwick.
Scotland’s allocation for this year totalled 10,000 tonnes, which was caught during August and September.
A proposal to lump two separate herring fisheries into one would have meant no fishing at all for herring west of Scotland.
This was despite the stock in northern waters, where the north-east boats operate, being in good health.
While the value of Scotland’s herring catches is small by comparison to mackerel – worth £195million last year – Mr Lochhead said it was an important win for a fishing fleet that was once dominated by boats catching what became known as the “silver darlings”.
He added: “We have agreed to take further evidence from scientists in 2016… and rescued the concept of having a distinct TAC (total allowable catch).”
“It means we have some breathing space to work on the quota.”
Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association chief executive Ian Gatt welcomed the move but said the herring fishers now faced a period of uncertainty until a decision on their quota.
Mr Gatt added: “The fishery is important to the fleet… and brings employment to the Scottish processing sector during the latter part of the summer.
“Without this production there are no jobs for factory workers as there is no other ready source of replacement tonnage.
“In our experience, when fisheries are closed it is extremely difficult to get them opened up again.”
A small number of sprat boats working out of Mallaig would not have been able to fish at all if ministers had signed up to a zero TAC for west coast herring.
They usually catch a small quantity of herring as by-catch alongside their target species.
Mallaig and North West Fishermen’s Association chief executive Tom Bryan-Brown said the herring threat, though averted, was “another example of how the legislation on zero (white-fish) discards could cause immense damage to fishing businesses that are prosecuting a sustainable and valuable fishery.”