Fischler Out To Kill Whitefish Sector,Say Nationalists – Fishupdate.com

Fischler Out To Kill Whitefish Sector,Say Nationalists Fishing Monthly Published:  12 June, 2003

EU FISHERIES commissioner Franz Fischler’s warning about more drastic measures required to protect cod stocks will set alarm bells ringing throughout a fishing industry struggling to cope with

existing draconian measures according to Scottish National Party fisheries spokesman Richard Lochhead.

“ He seems determined to exterminate Scotland’s white fish sector,” he added.

” If anything his latest outburst reaffirms that all the

medicine he has forced down the industry’s throat up to now

have simply not worked and yet he wants to compound the pain he

has already inflicted.

” The Scottish and UK Fisheries Ministers must prevent the

European Commission from jumping to damaging conclusions and

instead turn Fischler’s attention to the industrial fishery

that he refuses to touch and other factors that influence stock levels.

” Any new measures should be implemented by fishermen whose

livelihoods are at stake rather than by remote bureaucrats. If

the Scots fleet is denied access to what is a mixed fishery

then our fishing communities will close down.”