Border Fishing

The fishing industry is key to the prosperity of many of South Scotland's coastal communities. But some fishermen are concerned that stocks are getting low.

They claim the management of inshore waters is under resourced and more action is needed to support the sector.

Kathryn Samson reports from the Borders coastal town of Eyemouth:

MSPs are debating what steps can be taken to protect and improve Scotland's inshore fisheries.

In communities like Eyemouth in the borders, it's a key industry, and fishermen there are struggling because of low stocks.

The Scottish Government says it's committed to developing the sector, but Fishermen's leaders say the groups set up to manage inshore waters are under resourced, compared to those in England.

Figures show that salmon catches in the River Tweed are up 40% on the previous year.

A report by the River Tweed Commission shows that a total of 20,316 salmon were reported caught last year, up from 14,566 in 2012.

Chairman Dougas Dobbie put the increase down to a late run of exceptional catches, due to the autumn rainfall.

The Tweed Commission will go through the report at their AGM at the Cross Keys in Kelso at 9.30am this morning (3rd March).

The meeting is open to the public for the first time.

The Environment Agency is revisiting a Cumbrian lake where hedgehog shaped refuges were installed last year to help protect fish stocks.

Bassenthwaite is the first English lake to use the spiky constructions which provide shelter and a safe haven from predators.

A remote control boat will help monitor how well they are working.

Four fishermen were airlifted to safety on Saturday evening after their vessel began to sink 26 miles north east of Tynemouth Piers.

The Maryport-registered Rachel Jayne IV issued a mayday call at about 4.50pm. Humber coastguard sent an RAF helicopter and RNLI lifeboat to the scene.

Two local politicians have welcomed an operation on the alleged exploitation of foreign workers employed in the fishing industry.

The exercise was carried out across the region this morning by police and various other UK agencies.

Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown and Dumfriesshire MSP Elaine Murray, both Labour, say that iIllegal cockle fishing in the region has been a major problem with gangs often using foreign workers to obtain the cockles.