Reform the way fishing quota is allocated to support lower impact fishing businesses that bring economic and social benefits to local communities, and incentivise best environmental practice
This is already provided for in the Fisheries Act 2020 and would cost the public purse nothing extra and instead put more money in more people’s pockets.
Scotland’s seas and fish are public assets. Fishing quota is the main way the Scottish Government allocates the opportunity to catch fish. The UK Fisheries Act 2020 states that quota allocation must consider environmental, social, and economic factors. However, Scotland currently allocates quota based solely on economic criteria.
The Scottish Government’s outdated “Fixed Quota Allocations” approach has resulted in most of the quota being controlled by a few highly profitable fishing businesses. This puts coastal communities at a disadvantage, hindering their pursuit of a sustainable future with secure local fishing jobs and a well-preserved marine environment. Businesses receiving large quotas often use larger, more fuel-intensive pelagic fleets that operate in open seas. They also tend to use trawlers and dredgers, which churn and disrupt the seabed, releasing stored carbon. In contrast, low-impact fisheries like hand-divers or creelers use less fuel, stay in inshore waters, and cause minimal seabed disturbance. A healthy seabed supports thriving biodiversity, provides nursery grounds for fish, and contributes to climate mitigation and adaptation by preventing coastal erosion and sequestering significantly more carbon than forests.
For more information:
- An opportunity for fishing quota reform, Open Seas, 2024