Family and Friends

Reviewing the Christmas card list is not a chore but a reminder of a year past. In some cases, new additions the list, in others the sad deletions.

And for the North-East, the near inevitability that we shall see deletions of a number of the fishing vessels tied up in our harbours for what should have been a season of family and festivity.

But the meeting between the First Minister, Scotland’s Fisheries Minister and representatives of the fishing industry was a sombre affair. One concentrating on compensation rather than recovery.

Yes, we must ensure that crews can ride out this ‘European Union’ inspired storm. But how will we see future generations compensated for the brutal ‘down-sizing’ of our core industry?

And many trades and shops depend on fishing for the business that makes them the profit that keeps them going. Businesses deep into the countryside, and ones at the core of rural villages, will share the pain.

With trawler deckhands self-employed, I have long argued that our unemployment numbers understate the scale of this area’s economic difficulties. And with a numbers driven support system, we have been cut off from the opportunities to diversify, the opportunity to reduce our dependence on fishing.

Nonetheless it has not been a totally bad year. But our victories – saving Peterhead Prison, a new hospital for Banff, a move from two to three-shift working for Fraserburgh’s ambulance station, jobs saved in baking and fish-processing – can be overwhelmed by the magnitude of fishing’s problem.

When Parliament returns on 7th January, I shall be straight back into it.

That day the big issue had been planned as a discussion with Ross Finnie, our Fisheries, and Rural Affairs, Minister on how the new European regulations on moving grain around the country might open the door to cross-contamination by Genetically Modified crops.

But that is bound to overwhelmed by questions on fishing. If the Minister will allow us that is. Because on the following day he will make his statement to Parliament on the outcome of the fishing talks.

That only allows a limited time to ask questions and none for a debate.

With the Presiding Officer, Liberal Sir David Steele, concluding that the fishing crisis was not serious enough for a recall of Parliament – not many in the area will agreed with that judgement – our opportunity for a debate, and a chance to change the government’s mind before the new plan starts on 1st February will be very limited.

The moral campaign for 2003 – and this is the time of year for such thoughts surely – must be on ‘industrial fishing’. The Danes – an independent nation at the European talks – were able to stay fishing for sandeels, pout and immature cod.

The major companies like Unilever who are behind such a trade carry clout. And 2003 is the year to kick back. For if the cod’s food is hoovered up, will we ever see cod in numbers again?

Here is hoping for the best in 2003.