Scottish fishing chiefs have warned their industry faces a twin threat to its future in 2025.
Offshore wind farms in the North Sea and the prime minister’s ambitions to “reset” relations between the UK and European Union are major dangers for the sector, they say.
And they want politicians in Edinburgh, London and further afield to “radically rethink” their approach to the sector.
SFF chief says EU wants to ‘have it all’
Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) chief executive Elspeth Macdonald outlined these concerns in her new year message to ministers and civil servants “across the UK and beyond”.
She said a widespread sense of crisis had spawned a bout of “initiative-itis” by the Scottish and UK governments.
This, combined with the “apparent determination of the EU to have it all” in a new fisheries access agreement for UK waters, threatens to put the livelihoods of hundreds of skippers and crew in jeopardy, she warned.
There are two key issues facing the fleet in 2025, she said.
One of these is the “planned colossal growth” of floating offshore wind power in Scottish waters.
The other is Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to rebuild relations with the EU as the end of the Brexit fisheries adjustment period in mid-2026 moves closer.”
‘Windrush’ means no ‘just’ transition
On the wind farms, Ms Macdonald said: “We understand the need for energy transition.
“All our futures depend on shifting from an energy system based on fossil fuels to one that has less impact on global climate.
“But the ‘windrush’ – the planned expansion of offshore wind in our seas, floating offshore wind in particular – going ever-further and faster, is not proving to be a just transition for our fishing industry.”
Industry ‘must not be a casualty’
She added: “At present, there are no proposals on the table to compensate our industry for the losses we will suffer, which are increasingly recognised by floating offshore wind developers as being significant.
“Our long-standing industry must not be a casualty of this new one.
“We call on governments to step up to their responsibilities and live up to their commitments of a just transition.
“Hollow words are not enough.”
If the EU wants something different for the benefit of their fishing fleet, they will need to offer something in return for the benefit of ours.” Elspeth Macdonald, Scottish Fishermen’s Federation
On the EU relationship under the Trade and Co-operation Agreement, the SFF chief said demands from the EU for more access to UK waters were “completely unreasonable”.
She continued: “The EU seems to have forgotten what it signed up to back in 2020 – that from 2026, we move to a position where access to waters becomes part of annual negotiations.
“If the EU wants something different for the benefit of their fishing fleet, they will need to offer something in return for the benefit of ours.”
Ms Macdonald also stressed that any agri-food or veterinary deal struck with Brussels must not come at the price of a long-term fisheries access deal benefitting only the EU.
“The fishing industry paid a heavy price for the Brexit deal in the first place and should not pay the price of a wider arrangement yet again,” she said.
“Any re-set of relationships with the EU must not use access to UK fishing waters or quota as a bargaining chip for other issues, and must deliver benefit for Scottish fishermen.
“If the EU wants revised arrangements on access to our waters after the adjustment period, that must be fully paid for in quota shares.”
There will be no shortage of work for the SFF in 2025, Ms Macdonald said, adding: “Our asks of governments are simple.
“We want them to demonstrate their commitment to the fishing industry and support it for the long term as part of wider economic growth and our national food security.”
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