Conference re-ignites fishing row

Fishermen protested at the conference

The Scottish Fishermen's Federation has renewed calls for a UK funded tie-up scheme at a one-day conference in Shetland.

Scottish Fisheries Minister, Rhona Brankin and her UK counterpart, Elliot Morley, came face to face with skippers to debate the future of the controversial European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

Fishermen staged a protest outside the conference, displaying nine boxes of fish that would normally have been thrown back.

The CFP was drawn up 20 years ago and carved up Europe's fishing waters, allocating catch restrictions to national fleets.

But after years of overfishing, the European Commission now admits the policy has not worked and needs urgent reform.

Rhona Brankin stuck to her guns

EU head of fisheries policy Christoph Nordman said: "They didn't deliver what was expected to have to be delivered, especially sustainable policies."

Scottish Fishermen's Federation chairman Hamish Morrison used the conference to renew calls for a UK-wide compensated tie-up scheme.

He said: "However we try in a mixed fishery to use technical measures or various other devices to limit the mortality in cod - or any other species for that matter - the only way you can really do it by keeping boats in harbour."

His views were echoed by Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott.

He said: "The Shetland Fishermen's Association's policy of decommissioning plus a compensated tie-up scheme is answered by the minister.

"The commission do accept the need for a compensated tie-up scheme as part of a package of measures."

£27m scheme

However, Ms Brankin refused to be moved on the issue.

She said: "We believe we need to take out capacity in the longer term.

"Tie-up schemes might bring short-term benefits, but we believe with enhanced technical measures you can also bring shorter term benefits as well."

The Scottish Executive wants to implement a £27m decommissioning scheme for Scotland's fishing fleet.

The scheme was originally defeated in the Scottish Parliament in March after some Lib Dem MSPs refused to support a much-weakened Labour bench on the eve of the party's Scottish conference.

The victory for opposition parties was short-lived however and the executive regrouped one week later to carry the vote on approval for the decommissioning package.