Carmichael calls on government to review limits on Norwegian fishing access

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has today in Parliament challenged government ministers to review the limits placed on Norwegian access to waters around Shetland, in light of the impact on local fishermen. Speaking while leading a House of Commons debate on the fishing industry, Mr Carmichael noted that while local fishermen welcome some degree of Norwegian access, significant recent increases in the effort of Norwegian boats around Shetland is “surely not a fair or balanced deal”.

Responding to the debate, the Minister for Fisheries Angela Eagle MP agreed to look again at the issue.

Speaking in the House, Mr Carmichael said:

“Finally, Mr Speaker, I wish to raise a concern that is very specific to my own constituency and that is the operation of Norwegian access to our local waters. There are today big, powerful vessels appearing around Shetland that have not been here in the past.

“Shetland Fishermen have called on The UK Government to reduce the reciprocal catch limits between the UK and Norway in our annual bi-lateral fisheries agreement.  That appeal has not been heard.  This is effectively the one major source of fishing effort in our waters over which we still have some annual control.

“The official preliminary figures show the Norwegians catching 22,581 tonnes of demersal fish in UK waters, whilst the UK caught only 9,496 tonnes in Norwegian waters. That is surely not a fair or balanced deal. A degree of Norwegian access is welcome, but the current agreement and catch limits are clearly favouring the Norwegians, at a cost to our own fleets.

“The stats show Norwegian saithe catches in UK waters doubling from 8,000+ tonnes to16,000+ tonnes between 2024 and 2025. Saithe is one of the stocks under pressure. Things are tough enough without a doubling of Norwegian effort on a key stock – and one that is mainly concentrated around Shetland. 

“Can I ask the minister to give some urgent attention to the lowering of the reciprocal cap? There is a commitment in the agreement to review the current cap through the course of this year.  It is something that fishing industry representatives in Shetland have called for in the past but it now needs to be tackled as a matter of some urgency. 

“In this I am merely the interlocutor.  If the minister wishes to discuss it with the real experts then she will find them in Shetland and I hope that once the days lengthen a little we may see her there.”