Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston will ask the Scottish Government in the Scottish Parliament today at 2.20pm what steps it is taking to support the fishing industry. Given the fishing industry seasonal derogation to catch squid inside 12 nautical miles. The following is Mr Halcro Johnston's supplementary question to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon:
“Last year, the Scottish Government were asked by the fishing sector to consider a derogation to the North Sea Cod Avoidance Plan to allow fishing for squid inside 12 nautical miles. As the Scottish Government officials themselves recognised in their correspondence with the Fisheries Management and Conservation Group on the 5th July, “this is a lucrative fishery and one that can take pressure off Nephrops grounds.”
“However, no derogation was granted last year, and the industry still hasn’t been advised whether a derogation will be granted this year, something they ideally need to know by the end of this month to allow them time to prepare.
So can the Cabinet Secretary confirm that a derogation is being considered, but also when a decision on that derogation will be made.”
Further comments from Mr Halcro Johnston will be available later today.
ENDS
Notes to editor
You can follow the session in the Parliament Chamber here: https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/meeting-of-the-parliament-march-13-2024
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