Liberal Democrat MP for North East Fife Sir Menzies Campbell today (Thursday) successfully obtained an assurance from UK Fisheries Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies MP, after his intervention during the annual Fisheries debate in the House of Commons, that in the forthcoming negotiations in Brussels the Minister would take account of the threat to the village based fishing industry in Pittenweem of displacement of effort if fisheries on the west coast of Scotland were closed down.
Sir Menzies said:
“I drew the Ministers attention to the fact that if some of the proposals on the table in Brussels were to be implemented, the village based industry at Pittenweem would face a “double whammyâ€, first with a reduction in catch available in the North sea and secondly with the risk of displacement of effort from vessels denied their traditional access on the west coast of Scotland.
“The Minister undertook to ensure he kept both these issues in mind when he goes to Brussels in the next few weeks for the annual negotiations over quotas.â€
Sir Menzies went on:
“The village based industry in Pittenweem is in a fragile condition. Everything needs to be done to give it a fair chance and to allow it to continue to make a substantial contribution to the local economy.â€
ENDS
