McArthur seeks assurances that fishermen are not penalised for climate change effects

4.10.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 28th Jul 2010

Orkney MSP, Liam McArthur, is seeking assurances from the Scottish Government that fisheries scientists, and others involved in establishing fish quotas, do not penalise fishermen for stock reductions caused by climate change.

Research undertaken by the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership shows that climate change is causing some fish species’ distributions to move north, with some stocks having moved as much as 400 km north over the past 30 years.

Liam McArthur has asked the Scottish Government whether the FRS Marine Laboratory takes this into account when assessing fish stocks and preparing advice for future stock management. He has also asked whether the Government is making sure that the European Commission is kept fully aware of the results of the research, “so that, when the Commission makes recommendations for fish quotas, quotas in the northern healthy parts of a fish Species' distribution are not cut because of climate change induced reductions in its southern parts.”

He has also asked whether more use will be made of data reported by fishermen, given the need to collect all available data to help to address the extra problems scientists face when trying to collect thorough comparative data when the stocks are moving north as the southern seas warm up.

Commenting, Liam McArthur said;

"The reports from fishermen of Increasing stocks of cod in the northern North Sea appear compatible with the results of this research. Indeed, the findings of this report further highlight how complex this issue really is.

"Clearly, at a time when Scotland's fishermen are struggling to contend with serious cuts in their quotas and fishing effort, it is imperative that the scientific basis for decisions about stock management is as a reliable and up to date as possible. It is important therefore that all available information, including from fishermen themselves, is being used to inform decision-making. Essential too, is the need to reflect the impact that other factors, including climate change, is having on the state and behaviour of stocks.

"Scottish Ministers must now reassure our industry that they are alive to these issues and that they are being brought to the attention of the European Commission".

Notes:

Three parliamentary questions tabled by Liam McArthur:

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when assessing fish stocks and preparing advice for future stock management, does the FRS Marine Laboratory take into account the results of the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership’s research which shows that climate change is causing some fish species’ distributions to move north so that all stock reductions cannot be attributed to fishing effort alone.

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, given the results of the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership’s research which shows that climate change is causing some fish species’ distributions to move north, which makes the collection of thorough comparative fish stock data more difficult, the FRS Marine Laboratory will increase its use of data collected by fishing boats so that all available data is made use of.

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it ensures that the European Commission is kept fully aware of the results of the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership’s research, which shows that climate change causing some fish species distributions to move north so that, when the Commission makes recommendations for fish quotas, quotas in the northern healthy parts of a fish specie’s distribution are not cut because of climate change induced reductions in its southern parts.