THE Scottish Whitefish Producers Association (SWFPA) has sent two of its leading prawn skippers to attend a key meeting in London which will have a significant influence in setting UK priorities for the forthcoming fisheries negotiations in Brussels.

The meeting is to be hosted by the UK Fisheries Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, and will be attended by representatives from other UK administrations.

SWFPA vice chairman Bill Wiseman and director George West will inform Mr Irranca-Davis, that the 7% planned cut in the North Sea prawn catch is unacceptable.  They will say that the proposed reduction of 1,649 tonnes from a total allowable catch in 2009 of 24,837 tonnes creates a large deficit in the volume of prawns required for the North East of Scotland prawn fleet to remain profitable.

Mike Park, executive chairman of the SWFPA explained: “The prawn sector is one of the most sustainable, and sustainably harvested stocks around the shores of the UK. It is paramount therefore that we resist this unjustified reduction in catching opportunities.

“Prawn fishing is the largest single sector of the Scottish fishing industry, it is vital to the well being of our coastal communities and it must be one of our top priorities to defend it against this unjustified attack”.

Mr Park added that the SWFPA will be heavily engaged in the policy process between now and the end-of-year fisheries negotiations. He is currently in Brussels attending the second round negotiations between Norway and the EU on jointly managed North Sea Stocks.