A little over 10 years ago, I voted against the 2002 common fisheries policy (CFP) reform because it did not include steps towards zonal management of fisheries. After 12 years of over-centralised failure later, we have laid a foundation for the future upon which member states have an opportunity to push for more decentralised decision making.
The management of Scotland's fisheries over the past 40 years has been characterised by uncaring governments in London and an over-centralised approach in Brussels. The EU has acknowledged its past failings and is proposing a more decentralised CFP, shifting some responsibilities from Brussels back to individual member states.
"Scotland's fishing industry was initially sold out by the UK Tories… when the industry was described as 'expendable'"
Scotland's fishing industry was initially sold out by the UK Tories during negotiations for European community membership, when the industry was described as 'expendable'. In 1983, UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher's government signed up to the first centralised CFP regulation. Subsequent 'reforms' in 1992 and 2002 retained the Brussels-centred approach.
Throughout the recent reform process the commission has acknowledged the problems of this approach and have advocated some form of regionalisation. The mechanism by which the CFP is to be regionalised is through the independent member states, within a particular maritime area, submitting management recommendations to the commission.
The fact that the independence referendum coincides with CFP reform therefore affords Scotland's fishing communities a unique and exciting opportunity to help shape the new fisheries policy – with an independent Scotland at the heart of that process. And this is just one of many good reasons to opt for a 'Yes' vote on 18 September.