‘Shock’ over proposed fishing ban extension

The Sound of Harris: The purple-shaded area is the extension proposed by NatureScot; green already designated.

The fishing industry in the Western Isles has been “shocked” by a set of charts prepared by Marine Scotland which threaten huge encroachments on traditional fishing grounds.

One leading processor said: “It looks to me as if they want rid of scallop fishing altogether”.

According to the charts, which have been seen by the Gazette, large sea areas which are not currently subject to environmental designations have been “suggested” by NatureScot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage) for inclusion.

Sources said that these charts are separate from plans for Highly Protected Marine Areas on which the Scottish Government are currently consulting and which will introduce total bans on fishing and other economic activity in “at least ten per cent” of Scottish waters.

“The charts which have now emerged were being consulted on before Covid”, the Gazette learned, “but in the meantime they have been greatly extended to include areas which have been recommended by NatureScot. And that’s before HPMAs”.

Hector Stewart, owner of Kallin Shellfish in Uist, said: “We are in despair. These charts confirm that they are absolutely targeting all the areas we work in. It looks to me as if they want rid of scallop fishing altogether.

“There are new areas and extensions to previously proposed areas – all of the waters round Scalpay, Lochmaddy Bank, Lochboisdale, and so on. We just cannot live with that, so what are we supposed to do?”.

Mr Stewart said that the consultation over the Highly Protected Marine Areas – which were committed to as part of the SNP-Green coalition agreement – was already causing huge uncertainty and posed “a far bigger threat than Brexit or anything else”.

He asked: “Are we supposed to bring people in and start training them when they are going to close us down?”. He said that the proposals being developed on the basis of existing designations – and in advance of the HPMA consultation – were “a real shocker”.

The secretary of the Western Isles Fishermen’s Association, Duncan Macinnes, has warned that further designations would threaten the existence of the islands industry and successful processing businesses in the islands.

He said on Wednesday: “Some of the areas now shown on these charts where certainly not on the last list that I saw. It looks very much as if this must be the beginning of another set of areas for closure, even in advance of the HPMA designations”.

At their meeting this week, the Sustainable Development committee of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar authorised a member-officer working group to draw up a response to the consultation on Highly Protected Marine Areas which will run until March 20th.

A report to councillors said: “This consultation is the start of a process to determine HPMA designations in Scottish waters. Although no areas have yet been identified as HPMAs, there is a potential for significant impact to marine activities including fishing, aquaculture, renewable energy generation, tourism etc.”.