Filipino fishing crewmen threatened with deportation have been given a temporary reprieve, it was announced yesterday. A deal between the Scottish Government and the UK Border Agency will give more time for fishing boat owners to comply with the rules.

Filipino fishing crewmen threatened with deportation have been given a temporary reprieve, it was announced yesterday.

A deal between the Scottish Government and the UK Border Agency will give more time for fishing boat owners to comply with the rules.

But action will continue to be taken where there is "blatant and deliberate" abuse of the law, officials said.

The breathing space was announced after talks between Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead and Phil Woolas, minister of state for immigration and borders.

MSP Rob Gibson told Holyrood earlier this month that deportations could pose "serious consequences" for the Scottish fleet, which employs hundreds of Filipino crewmen off the west coast.

Under the agreement announced yesterday, the UK Border Agency has written again to vessel owners who were recently issued with notices to repatriate their Filipino crew by yesterday, giving them more time while "further consideration" is given.

The Scottish Government is separately working on new plans to attract fresh blood into the industry.

Mr Lochhead said: "I welcome Mr Woolas's commitment to work with the Scottish Government and the UK Border Agency to resolve this difficult situation. We have agreed to work together to clarify existing immigration laws to see how the needs of the industry can be met."

The Scottish Fishermen's Federation would make a case for fishing crewmen to be added to the Scottish shortage occupation list, he said.

"We are acutely aware that our fleets need to be sustained in the long term and the importance of attracting new blood into the industry," said the minister. "This plan will allow us to determine sensible transitional arrangements so that the industry does not suffer undue disruption."