NEW strict conservation zones could have a ‘catastrophic’ impact on coastal communities across Galloway.
The Scottish Fisherman’s Federation (SFF) has spoken out against the introduction of Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), stating that the zones were far too big a price for fishermen to pay when they lacked ecological justification and were being introduced for ‘purely political reasons.’
SFF chief executive Elspeth Macdonald said: “Fishing is a very low carbon footprint relative to other forms of protein, and the Scottish Government’s own healthy diet guidance is for people to eat fish at least twice a week.
“And yet on top of the existing spatial squeeze caused by the dash to build huge offshore windfarms with little consideration for their impact on fisheries, the Government wants to close a further ten per cent of our waters to fishing vessels – with no evidence whatsoever that doing so will achieve Ministers’ vague conservation aims, nor any attempt to understand the effect of displacing the fishing fleet.”
Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson shares the SFF’s views and during a parliament session at Holyrood said: “The government’s timeframe of having HPMAs operating by 2026 is wholly unrealistic for defining or establishing baselines.
“Scotland’s existing network of Marine Protected Areas already covers 37 per cent of its seas and its impact needs to be fully understood before additional restrictions are imposed.
“It has to be remembered that this could have a devasting blow to fishing businesses along the Solway as no details have been provided as to where the conservation zones will be.”
The SFF is now urging the Scottish Government to have a ‘radical rethink’ on HPMA and accept an alternative proposal for two pilot projects to assess the need, practicalities and costs/benefits in a proper scientific manner.
