THE Scottish Greens have made an eight-minute online film in defence of controversial fishing ban proposals – claiming the practice will benefit the fishing industry and the environment.
The video sees Green MSPs Ross Greer and Ariane Burgess visit the Lamlash Bay “no-take zone” where all forms of fishing from trawling to hobbyist angling have been banned since 2008.
It comes against the backdrop of the ongoing row over the creation of Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs). The Government aims to ban fishing outright in a tenth of Scottish waters by 2026.
Howard Wood, a diver and one of the founders of the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (Coast), features in the video. He said he had been moved to take action on dwindling volumes of fish in the year, owing to over-fishing.
Wood, awarded an OBE for his services to the marine environment in 2015, talked about his experience of the abolition of the three-mile limit in the 1980s. Before it was abolished, strict limits were placed on fishing within three miles of most of Britain’s coastline.
READ MORE: SNP MP hits out at party's fishing ban plans with depopulation warning
Wood said: “My very good friend Don [MacNeish] came along and said we need to do something.
“We’d been talking for quite a few years about how what we were seeing when we were diving was diminishing year on year and week on week, through the late 1980s and 1990s.
“Areas that we would go to when we were in our twenties and there would be loads of scallops and you would see loads of plaice, you’d occasionally see a big turbot, lemon sole, flounders – all kinds of fish.
“Within four or five years of the three-mile limit going these species literally started disappearing.”
In a press release, Burgess said the creation of HPMAs was “not about putting an end to fishing”.
She added: “There are successful no-take zones in place all over the world. They are not about putting an end to fishing. Instead, they are about protecting a small number of specific areas to allow our fish stocks to recover.
“Fishing communities can and must be at the heart of decision making, like they have been in Lamlash Bay. That is how we can ensure that we have a sustainable fishing sector for decades to come.”
In the video, Ross – one of the West of Scotland’s MSPs – says HPMAs could have economic benefits for the fishing industry as well as protecting the underwater environment.
He said: “The results [of the Lamlash no-take zone] have been amazing for everybody. We’ve seen not just astounding recovery of the marine ecosystem but we’ve also had massive economic benefits from the marine tourism that’s resulted from that.
READ MORE: Tiree’s economy could sink if HPMA plans are not scrapped
“The local fishing community are delighted because of the positive spill over effect that we’re seeing in the areas that they are able to fish in.
“It’s been win-win-win.”
But the issue remains deeply controversial with many rural politicians opposed to the plans.
The SNP MP for Argyll and Bute Brendan O’Hara wrote to his constituents this week urging them voice their opposition to the plans – saying he wanted the First Minister to understand what he said was the strength of feeling against HPMAs in the area.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel