Europe's fishing rules a 'disgrace'

Published on Tuesday 3 November 2009 21:09

EUROPEAN rules which require millions of pounds worth of dead fish to be dumped at sea were again attacked yesterday by the Scottish Government.

Fisheries secretary Richard Lochhead said the rules are an "utter disgrace" and called for fishermen to be allowed to land more of what they catch.

More than a third of all cod caught in the North Sea and west of Scotland is thrown away, and whitefish worth 60 million are discarded in the North Sea alone, the government claims.

Mr Lochhead told a conference in Edinburgh the European Commission admitted the Common Fisheries Policy was broken and needed a major makeover. He called for more powers to be returned to Scotland.