The Decline of the fishing industry

Once at the heart of the livelihoods and culture of numerous small communities around the north of Scotland, the rich fishing grounds of the North Sea and North Atlantic are today increasingly dominated by multinational-owned trawlers, continental fishing boats and hi-tech boats owned by Scottish fishing millionaires. Their practices, encouraged by the food industry and the appalling European Union Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), have had an enormous impact on the marine environment, all but destroying what was a traditional small-scale and sustainable industry. The scale of the problem and who is to blame, however, is definitely a matter of contention.

Overfishing has not only forced various species to the brink of extinction, but has had tremendously damaging effects on marine ecology. Bottom trawling destroys the ecology of the ocean floor and fragile coral, and one in four fish caught by this means are 'by-catch' - fish that are too small or a different species to the allocated quota - including dolphins and porpoises. They are thrown overboard, often maimed or dead. Sand eels, a vital part of the marine eco-system as food for other fish and seabirds, are also threatened by industrial fishing practices.

In 2004, the EU called for a complete ban on the fishing of cod, sole, plaice, hake (white fish) and other endangered species in Western Scotland in order to preserve declining stocks. At the end of 2004, the UK government reached an 'imperfect compromise', placing more restrictions on the Scottish fishing industry, but stopping short of a full ban, fearing the total collapse of the Scottish fishing economy.

There are around 5,000 active fishers in Scotland today, mostly around fishing towns such as Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Lochinver and Oban in the North of Scotland and Lerwick in Shetland. Many Scottish fishers (and Scottish Nationalists) blame the situation on the CFP. They argue that Scottish fishing rights have been handed over to continental fishermen. However, it is clear that new technologies, huge corporate investment and the supermarkets and food processors have also played a part, in not demanding fish from sustainable sources. Meanwhile, because of the CFP the Scottish fishing fleet is grounded for half the year, and the coastal communities in Aberdeenshire that are almost totally reliant on fishing are dying out because they can't access their local resources. The whitefish fleet has experienced a 50% cut in vessel numbers since 2000.1 The discussion in these areas is around defending the Scottish 'right to fish', and the whitefish sector is said to be experiencing an increase in illegal fish landings.2 Many also dispute that the cod stocks are failing, rather arguing that climate change has driven the stocks further north.3 Rather than go bankrupt, Scottish fishermen have begun fishing off the coasts of Senegal, Namibia and Angola in South West Africa. With more technologically advanced boats and equipment, the Scottish fishing boats clearly pose a threat to African livelihoods.4

The story is very different in the pelagic fish catch (herring and mackerel), which is currently reasonably plentiful, very profitable and a highly concentrated industry. Some 30 millionaires scoop Scotland's entire profitable catch of herring and mackerel, which needs between 30-40 vessels and employs only a few hundred people. At the end of World War II, this catch supported over 1,000 boats through a system of shared ownership or owner-skippers, 10,000 crew and an even greater workforce on shore.5

Some companies

Fishing companies operating in the North Sea primarily run only one boat, although some of these are big companies running large vessels. Several Scottish fishing companies have diversified into the oil services industry in recent years, such as the Craig Group whose subsidiary, Grampian Sea Fishing, is based in Peterhead. Another is JW Holdings Ltd – the largest fishing company in Scotland owned by the John Wood Group (see oil industry profile). Other Scottish fishing companies include Lunar Fishing based in Peterhead and 75% owned by millionaire Alexander Buchan.

The big multinational companies, however, are the fish processors, some of whom also own fishing vessels. Spain's Pescanova, with a Scottish processing plant at Conon Bridge, is the market leader in both Spain and Portugal in herring and mackerel. Big UK fishing companies include Grimsby-based Young's Bluecrest which has operations around Fraserburgh, Strathaird, Edinburgh, Annan and Stornaway.

The scandal of farmed salmon

The salmon is one of the great symbols of the wild, known to swim thousands of miles across the oceans to spawn in specific rivers of Britain. It is a much prized animal, both by fishermen and by cooks. However, the salmon population is in crisis. Overfishing and pollution have taken their toll to the point that many salmon populations are in extreme decline.

To reverse this the Environment Agency has been pumping money into hatcheries and river management schemes to preserve this fish. However, in Scotland the government is supporting an industry which is having a destructive effect on the remaining wild salmon, and threatens to cause their extinction in many rivers.

As the numbers of wild salmon have declined, salmon farms have been established in Scottish river estuaries. In 2003 there were 81 companies running fish farms at 326 sites in Scotland. Overall production was dominated by 19 companies accounting for over 77% of the salmon production in Scotland. Fish farming in Scotland accounts for 2,000 direct jobs and between 4,000 and 5,000 in supporting sectors. Around 75% of these jobs are in the Highlands and Islands.6

Though not the only problem facing salmon (river management is another issue), the fish farms of Scotland are proving to be exceptionally destructive, not just to the local environment but to the entire wild population of salmon. This is for to two reasons. First, direct pollution. Salmon in fish farms are kept tightly packed in underwater cages in such a way that all their natural instincts are disrupted. The conditions and the resultant stress lead to a high prevalence of parasites among the fish, who also attack each other. In order to deal with this, large quantities of antibiotics, as well as growth hormones, are put into the food and water, including destructive chemicals such as Dichlorvos. These chemicals seep into the surrounding environment, impacting wild salmon using the river estuaries as a spawning ground. Salmon from fish farms does not have the acclaimed pink flesh of wild caught salmon, instead their flesh is grey. Most farmed salmon found in supermarkets is dyed.

The second major threat to wild salmon is from the caged salmon themselves. Caged salmon differ from their wild relatives; they are weaker strains and when they escape they often carry lice and other diseases. Studies indicate that as increasing numbers escape, they affect the native wild salmon, weakening its ability to deal with the great migratory journeys as well as with river pollution. For a population already in decline, this could be enough to push wild salmon into extinction.7

Marine Harvest Scotland

A large proportion of Scotland's fish farms is now owned by the massive multinational corporation Marine Harvest, the world's largest aquaculture company. Now part of the Norwegian-Dutch multinational Nutreco, it specialises in fish farming and other animal foodstuffs. Marine Harvest Scotland produces up to 35,000 tonnes of salmon each year. Half of this goes to UK customers, and the remainder goes to the EU, US and Asia

Marine Harvest was founded in Scotland in the mid-1960s. In 1994, it was bought by Booker which merged it with its subsidiary, McConnell Salmon. It was acquired in 1999 by Nutreco, which changed its name to Marine Harvest Scotland. Its headquarters are now in Bergen, Norway.8

Marine Harvest Scotland is head quartered in Edinburgh and has plants in Fort William and Stornoway. Most of its operations are in the western Highlands and Islands. Marine Harvest Scotland supports 1,000 jobs in some of the most remote communities in Scotland, and is the biggest private sector employer in Lochaber in the Highlands.

Government links

According to Spinwatch, on 8 January, 2004 the prestigious journal Science reported that Scottish farmed salmon contained high levels of toxins. Using corporate front groups, the salmon industry quickly moved to spin the story and discredit the research. Spinwatch argues that the PR campaign implicated Scottish First Minister, Jack McConnell, in a conflict of interest. The Executive pumped £1.5 million into the campaign to convince the public that salmon was safe. The most valuable gift McConnell received as First Minister was a pair of gold cuff-links given to him by Marine Harvest. McConnell's brother also runs a Marine Harvest fish farm.9

What is happening in Scotland is only one example of a process happening around the world, Canada's fish farms in particular are proving to be a great risk to the survival of the wild species. Various groups have attempted to highlight the problems in Scotland's rivers, and there are well documented studies of the effects of fish farms. However, the Scottish Executive is proving very reluctant to act on this.

References

1. SPS Key Documents, 'Prisoner Escort and Court Custody Services for the Scottish Criminal Justice System in Scotland Schedule 6 Implementation Schedule,' www.sps.gov.uk/keydocs/reliance/html/ Schedule_6_Implementation_Programme.htm, Last viewed 22.03.05
2. J Watson and R Seidel, 'Economic Survey of the North Sea and West of Scotland Whitefish Fleet Key Features,' Seafish Report December 2003 www.seafish.org/pdf.pl?file=seafish/Documents /Features _Eco_NSea_WScot_Whitefish.pdf Last viewed 22.03.05
3. Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, 'Net Benefits A Sustainable and Profitable Future for UK Fishing,' www.strategy.gov.uk/files/pdf/net_benefits.pdf Last viewed 22.03.05
4. Alex Kirby, 'North Sea cod reaches new low,' BBC News 28.08.03 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3152121.stm Last viewed 22.03.05
5. Tim Butcher, 'Full nets for Scottish trawlermen off Namibia,' The Telegraph 04.05.04
6. Tide must turn for fishing: As EU ministers meet in Brussels to discuss quota cuts, Herald writers look at the state of the Scottish industry by David Thomson and Alastair McIntosh. The Herald, Glasgow 17/12/98
7. Green Party policy document on Aquaculture in Scotland 2004
8. For more information see Salmon Farm Protest Group, Salmon Farm Monitor News – www.salmonfarmmonitor.org; Pisces Information Sheet, 'Commercial Farming, Fish Farming, and Fish Eating,' www.pisces.demon.co.uk/factshe6.html Last viewed 22.03.05; The One That Got Away - Marine Salmon Farming in Scotland, FoE Scotland, June 2001
9. Marine Harvest website, www.marineharvest.com/home.htm?Open
10. Emma Miller, 'McConnell's fishy deal revealed at SpinWatch launch conference', Spinwatch Conference, 12.12.04
    http://spinwatch.server101.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=4 , Last viewed 22.03.05