Concern Over New Scallop Rules – Fishupdate.com

Concern Over New Scallop Rules Fishing Monthly Published:  21 April, 2002

A FISHERMEN’S leader has voiced concern that new rules for the UK’s scallop fishery will be introduced without being adequately debated.

John MacAlister, chairman of Mallaig and North-west Fishermen’s Association told fishupdate.com that he was becoming increasingly worried over the issue.

“What I am concerned about at the moment is the introduction of the new technical measures for scallop catching operations and that these will not be properly debated when they are made public this month.

“It has taken three years to get these proposals out, but the fishery has changed significantly in that time, for example because of ASP.

“And my main worry is that changes in the fishery over the last three years,for example restrictions over where you can fish., will not be adequately taken into account.

“The basis for the new technical measures was drawn up when we had no sight of ASP for example.

“In other words, this was a totally different environment but now we are looking at a different scenario, including for example, the possibility of days at sea restrictions in the future.

“This underlines why the proposals about to be produced must have wide discussion.”