Pressure is mounting on the Scottish government over imminent plans to increase the proportion of mackerel and herring that must be landed at Scottish ports.
The Scottish Fishermen's Organisation has described a new requirement for vessels to land 70 per cent of their mackerel and herring, instead of 55 per cent, from 1st January as a "divisive intervention" which will cause "lasting damage" to most of the pelagic fleet.
It comes after the Scottish government's islands secretary Mairi Gougeon announced the "emergency measure" to protect jobs and investment in the processing sector following drastic quota cuts.
Industry leaders from the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association (SPPFA) have already rallied against the plans, claiming they risk loading additional risk on the catching sector, while mitigating the risk for processors.
Now, the Scottish fishermen's Organisation has added its concerns to the debate.
Chief executive John Anderson said: "We are astonished that the Scottish government has deemed it appropriate to make another divisive intervention within the Scottish pelagic sector that will effectively increase the level of subsidy gifted to already heavily subsidised Scottish pelagic processors, to the cost and detriment of the majority of the independent family owned Scottish pelagic fishing fleet.
"Now, not only will the mackerel quota halve in January, the earnings potential of more than two thirds of what can be caught and landed is at risk of being further constrained by Scottish processors who have already demonstrated an unwillingness to compete for raw material on the international marketplace.
"We consider this latest intervention to be not only irrational but an abuse of power - it was never the intention for the domestic landings target to be adjusted in response to annual fluctuations in quotas.
"It appears the Scottish government have gone well beyond their remit with this unjust and highly dubious decision."
SFO vice-chairman George West added: "This is a knee-jerk reaction by the Scottish government to the mackerel and herring TAC cuts that will have serious consequences for the pelagic catching sector.
"Governments have considerable power, but with that power comes responsibility, and responsible governance requires rational policy, measured action and a presumption against market intervention.
"Instead of that, we are subject to an ill-conceived decision that will result in the smaller pelagic operators effectively subsidising the larger, vertically integrated pelagic interests within the sector - it makes no sense whatsoever and will cause lasting damage to the majority of the fleet."