North-east fishing skipper Jimmy Buchan says the people making the rules governing Scotland’s hard-pressed fleet are crippling the sector and driving fishers away.
But Mr Buchan – star of the Trawlermen TV series – is still optimistic about the sector’s chances of surviving its latest challenges.
He told the Press and Journal his positive outlook was due to “the true champions who strive through some difficult times both in implementing change through new legislation and the financial pressures of running a fishing business”.
Mr Buchan, speaking as the industry counts down the hours to whatever outcome emerges from today’s end-of-year fish talks in Brussels, said the new ban on discards – being introduced across the sector in stages from January 1 – was going to mean radical changes.
He added: “The time line for phasing the ban in is too quick as industry needs time to slowly adapt to the new system of landing all catches.
“In my sector, as a nephrops (prawn) fisher, change in net design and trial will continue in 2015 – affecting our viability and the effect it will have on the processors who depend on our catches.
“I understand the thinking behind the new policies, however, those who make the rules do not fully understand the intricate workings of all the different mixed fisheries.
“They legislate in a way that cripples industry and drives fishers and processors alike out of business.
“Access to quota for skippers and crews has remained difficult and with no significant rise on the horizon for TAC’s (total allowable catches) in 2015, this will continue to eat up profit margins as skippers have to lease quota they do not have.
But Mr Buchan, who skippers the Peterhead-registered prawn trawler Amity II, said another year-end “debacle” in Brussels would see ministers and civil servants try to bolster a deal keeping the industry viable for another year.
“Different member states will have different strategies and agendas as they negotiate and barter a deal for their fishers,” he said, adding: “We live and hope that our team is united and plays a strong role in that negotiation.”
Peterhead Port Authority chief executive John Wallace said UK ministers should not be attending the current talks “cap in hand” but with the authority of a nation with a large share of the European Union’s fish stocks in its waters.
Mr Wallace added: “We need to exert an influence that garners support from other members based on the prospect that if David Cameron’s referendum results in a UK exit from the EU, the boot will very quickly be on the other foot and will result in EU ministers visiting our shores with a begging bowl.”
Shetland MSP Tavish Scott called on the UK negotiating team to make concerns about the looming discard ban their priority.
“There is a strong feeling that the proposed ban is simply not compatible with Shetland’s highly productive fishing grounds,” he added.