Local fishers have praised Finlay Carson MSP after his intervention forced the Scottish Government into a U-turn over a ban on lobster and crab landings.
Leading figures in the Galloway Static Gear Fishermen’s Association insisted his swift action has saved the jobs and livelihoods of scores of those who fish mainly for lobsters, brown crab and whelks in the Solway Firth and North Channel.
Frazer Scott and Shaun McGuire spoke after Scottish Ministers confirmed a letter of Derogation had been granted to fishing vessels participating in the Solway Scientific Trial.
Mr Scott, from Garrlieston, chair of GSGFA, said: “We cannot thank Finlay enough for taking up our fight and putting our case to those responsible for making this decision.
“Make no mistake this would have finished many of our members off as they would have really struggled to make a living. Finlay recognised this straight away and raised it with the powers at be.
“To be honest I have been fishing these waters for nearly 35 years and I thought it was the end for me. There is absolutely no way I could have carried on.”
Shaun McGuire whose family have been working the Solway for five generations feared also his days were numbered.
He said: “I thought my time was up had it not been for Finlay Carson taking up our cause.
“We emailed other politicians within the local area and never even received the courtesy of a reply which was disappointing. They simply weren’t interested in helping us.
“Thankfully Finlay spoke with us at length and then swung into action which we will all be eternally grateful for.”
Under the new landing controls that came into effect on 12 May there will be stricter controls applied to restrict creel fishing activity within six nautical miles of Scotland’s coastline.
Vessels over 12 metres in length and have recorded catches over 200 tonnes of crab and lobster in any 12 month period since 2020 must work outside this distance in order to protect berried (egg bearing) lobster.
However creel fishers operating in the South West where stocks of berried lobster are considerable have agreed they will return all of them to the water as part of a scientific trial.
Mr Scott explained: “We have always maintained that sustainable fishing must be adhered to and we believe that berried lobsters must be returned to ensure future stocks remain high.
“It is not about greed but protecting the livelihoods for the next generation of fishers and the one after that.”
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP wrote to Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, relating to the interim Scottish crab and lobster management measures.
He said: “I wanted to know what impact assessments had been carried out into the effect the measures would have on individual fishers, particularly in those areas where no stock assessments have been carried out.
“The powers under which these interim measures will be introduced, enforced and the available penalties for failure to comply with the interim measures.”
The Cabinet Secretary said there was a need to ensure that shellfish stocks are managed to balance economic and environmental considerations.
She added: “The claims made by your constituents are striking, suggesting that the percentage of egg-bearing females amongst their catches are more than double any other area we have sampled.
“Although our current sampling data does not cover the Solway, the UK Fisheries Act does require us to take a precautionary approach in how we allow exploitation of these resources.”
Ms Gougeon confirmed she had instructed her officials and scientific advisors to prioritise samplying operation for the Solway immediately.
