On the first
European
Maritime Day
- Tuesday 20
May - SNP
President
Ian Hudghton
MEP has
called on
the EU to
recognise
Scotland's
contribution
to Europe's
maritime
resources.
The event
was marked
at a special
ceremony in
Strasbourg
and the SNP
MEP spoke in
the debate
which
followed in
the European
Parliament.
He called on
the European
Commission
to help
Scotland
harness its
maritime
resources
rather than
try to
extend its
power in an
over-centralised
fashion,
such as has
been the
case with
the
unpopular
Common
Fisheries
Policy.
Establishing
the date of
20 May as
European
Maritime Day
is an
initiative
of the
European
Commission
which is
also
bringing
forward
proposals
for an
integrated
maritime
policy for
the European
Union. The
proposals
were debated
in the
European
Parliament.
Speaking in
the European
Parliament,
Mr Hudghton
said:
"Scotland is
one of
Europe's
primary
maritime
nations.
Scotland has
a coastline
of 11,000
kilometres -
a very high
proportion
of the EU
total, so in
terms of
maritime
interests,
Scotland is
at the heart
of Europe.
"We have
much to
gain, and to
contribute
to maritime
strategy and
policy. We
have waters
rich in
minerals,
energy and
biological
resources,
and we are
ideally
located as a
maritime
transport
hub for
Europe and
the wider
world.
"Maritime
nations will
have their
own
priorities
in terms of
developing
the resource
which is
their sea.
Any EU
policy
should
assist
maritime
nations in
achieving
their
objectives,
by funding
research,
facilitating
development
of new
transport
routes for
goods and
passengers,
supporting
energy
inter-connectors
and
improving
safety and
energy
efficiency
of vessels."
Mr Hudghton
added:
"The report
before us
effectively
discredits
the Common
Fisheries
Policy. As
it says:
"Neither the
sustainability
of marine
resources
nor the
economic
viability of
the EU's
fishing
fleets and
coastal
communities
has been
well served
by the
Common
Fisheries
Policy and
accordingly,
the
integrated
maritime
policy for
the European
Union should
be developed
in such a
way to avoid
failings in
the CFP such
as
over-centralisation
and the
failure to
take account
of the
regional
diversity of
the EU's
waters."
"In short,
the EU
should add
value, not
take
exclusive
competence
over our
marine
resources."
