Hansard

I welcome the opportunity to speak in today’s debate on an issue of great importance to the Scottish economy, our fishermen and our coastal communities. Across Scotland, many people’s livelihoods are dependent on the fishing industry and we need to ensure that it is protected not only by taking short-term actions but by showing long-term vision for the sector, too. We need to protect our environment and resources by ensuring that fishing is at a sustainable level and protect our fishing industry by ensuring that it can be profitable both now and in the future and that it is able to reach out to new entrants.

As colleagues have said, 2015 is likely to be a turning point for the Scottish and European fishing sectors, with the first phase of the landing obligation coming into effect on 1 January. That represents a huge change and a challenge for the fishing industry and, in theory, it should mean that, ultimately, all catch will be landed and counted against quotas.

As Claire Baker highlighted, that is quite a groundbreaking change. It came about thanks to huge public pressure, with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s award-winning fish fight campaign gaining more than 850,000 supporters, who were united in the call to end the crazy system whereby millions of healthy and edible fish every year are caught and then thrown back into the sea due to the bizarre way that EU fishing quotas are managed. Very few campaigns succeed in changing EU law, but fish fight certainly captured the public imagination and changed the way that we think about and eat our fish.

The effective implementation of the discard ban is now absolutely crucial and that is why Scottish Labour’s amendment today calls on the Scottish Government to set out a clear plan of action to ensure that the ban is implemented effectively and monitored sufficiently.

The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and others have expressed concern that the European legal arrangements may not be in place on time, which creates uncertainties for fleets during the transition period that need to be addressed and managed.

Colleagues have referred to the particular challenges with white fish. The changes in that regard will become effective from 2016. In the briefing for today’s debate, RSPB Scotland and WWF Scotland highlight the need to promote more uptake of selective gear on fishing vessels and spatial management systems to avoid the catching of unwanted fish. They warn that half of the demersal fleet is not yet using the identified selective gear. We need a clear action plan from the Scottish Government on how it will work with the industry to meet those challenges.

Although it is clear that change will be very difficult for some fleets, the RSPB and WWF highlight that there are also longer-term financial opportunities. It is estimated that eliminating discards from Scottish vessels, either by landing and selling all fish or by increasing selectivity so that no unwanted fish are caught in the first place, has the potential to add up to £200 million to the landed value of those fish by 2020. Sustainable fishing will hopefully make financial, as well as environmental, sense. That is crucial, given the importance of the fishing industry to our economy and given that the livelihoods of thousands of Scots in our coastal communities are dependent on fishing continuing to thrive. Across Scotland, an estimated 5,000 people are employed directly in fishing and as many as 48,000 jobs are dependent on the sector.

The fish processing sector, which Stewart Stevenson mentioned, is vital to our economy, yet that, too, can be vulnerable and we need action to support it and improve its sustainability. Key to that must be promoting our fantastic produce to the domestic market. We are all aware that eating fish is healthy and that we should be eating more of it but, generally, many of us find it complicated to cook and are reluctant to try new fish. Much more needs to be done to promote fish as a sustainable, affordable, healthy and easy option.

The Scottish Government’s good food nation strategy offers that opportunity and I hope that we will see that as the consultation outcome. Campaigns such as Sainsbury’s switch the fish initiative are crucial in changing customer behaviour, and similar campaigns by other retailers need to be encouraged to persuade people to eat a wider range of fish and not just the big five, and to highlight that our everyday choices can secure a sustainable future for our fishing industry.

Schools have a big role to play in explaining the importance of fish in the diet and creating opportunities for children to give different types of fish a try. When I was writing my speech this morning, I looked at my children’s school dinner menu and found that, although Harry Ramsden’s battered haddock is a frequent option, that seemed to be the full extent of what was on offer. That needs to be looked at.

Given the issues that people have about how to cook fish, practical lessons in school would be of benefit. Our children also need to have a much greater appreciation of where their food is from and, in the case of fish, how they are caught and processed from start to finish. That will ensure that our children can make good choices, live healthier lifestyles and become more educated shoppers and consumers in future.

I share the concerns expressed by the cabinet secretary and by Stewart Stevenson about fishing being a dangerous industry. It is estimated that one in 1,000 fishermen a year die as a result of the job—that is more than 100 times the rate of the average job in Scotland—and many more are injured in the course of their work. I understand that there has been little improvement in the fatal accident rate in the Scottish fishing industry in the past 30 years. Given that the fatal accident rate in almost every other occupation has fallen sharply during the same period, that suggests that commercial fishing has become progressively more hazardous over time. I would welcome any comments from the cabinet secretary on what action the Scottish Government is taking to make fishing a safer career. That would make the industry more appealing to new entrants and would be of benefit to families and our coastal communities.

We are nearing the end of this year’s fish negotiations. It is vital that the Scottish Government does whatever it can to ensure that Scotland gets the full benefits of the reformed common fisheries policy; that the discard ban is implemented as quickly as possible; and that those fleets that are adapting to the challenges are rewarded, thereby ensuring a vibrant and sustainable future for our fishing industry and for the jobs, families and communities it sustains.