SMITH CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO DO MORE TO HELP FIFE FISHERY PLAN

11.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 2nd Apr 2009

North East Fife MSP Iain Smith has written to the Scottish Fishing Minister Richard Lochhead asking for the Scottish Government to do more to help Fife fishermen by getting behind the plan to re-open the sprat fishery in the Firth of Forth which was closed by the EU in 1989, and has called for a meeting with local MP Sir Menzies Campbell and a delegation representing the Fife fishing industry to help clear the "logjam" that has been created.

In his letter, Iain Smith said:

"You will be aware that for some years I have been supporting Fife Fishermen in their campaign to re-open the sprat fishery in the Firth of Forth. As you will know this was closed by the EU in 1989 because of claims that a large percentage of juvenile herring was being caught with the sprats. There appears to be no scientific basis for the continuation of this closure, but the Scottish Government is unwilling to take a case to the EU to lift the closure without scientific evidence that the sprat fishery can be prosecuted without a herring by-catch.

"For a number of years Fife Fishermen, with the support of Fife Council, have been attempting to provide scientific evidence that the sprat fishery can be prosecuted without a significant by-catch of juvenile herring. The last survey was carried out in 2004 and it was hoped that a further survey could have been carried out in January 2009 with Scottish Government funding. However, at the last minute the Scottish Government withdrew part of the funding, and the survey could not be completed.

"So we are back at square one, with the Scottish Government doing nothing to assist prepare a case for re-opening the fishery, and indeed appearing to do all it can to prevent such a case being developed.

Mr Smith went on to highlight the potential for this fishery to be sustainable and to help the diminishing Fife fleet diversify which would secure the future of the fishing industry in the East Neuk:

"To be blunt, Fife fishermen are fed up getting the run-around by the Scottish Government on this issue. The Sprat fishery is seen as a potential sustainable fishery that can help the diminishing Fife fleet diversify and therefore secure the future of the village fishing industry at Pittenweem."