industry fears boats will be excluded from waters
Fishermen protest at proposals to protect seabirds’ foodstocks
Published:
Fishermen have reacted strongly against proposals by Scottish Natural Heritage to extend 31 land-based Special Protection Areas up to 2.5miles into the surrounding sea areas.
The sites that will be part of the web-based consultation process range from the north of Shetland to the Borders and include islands such as Ailsa Craig, the Bass Rock, St Kilda, the Flannan Isles, North Rona and Sulasgeir, which is the site of an annual cull of young gannets by the people of the Ness area of Lewis.
The original SPAs around Scotland’s coasts and islands were designated to protect internationally important seabird colonies.
SNH said that the sea areas were also essential for breeding and feeding for the birds to survive.
Fishermen, however, are suspicious and have not been reassured by Environment Minister Richard Lochhead’s comment that SNH does not foresee any additional restrictions on fishing or access as a result of these proposals.
John Hermse, secretary of the Mallaig and North-west Fishermen’s Association, said that a careful reading of what SNH was proposing left them with some foreboding. He said: “The trouble with these proposals is that they always leave a ‘what if’ clause.
“The consultation paper asks if the SPA extension will affect fishing and it answers it by saying that there is no indication that this will be the case and that this will happen only if there are unanticipated problems.
“It has been our experience that every bit of legislation like this starts off innocently enough but, all of a sudden, they find the ‘unanticipated problems’ and the restrictions are imposed and fishermen are excluded from fishing areas.”
The guidance from SNH said that the proposal to extend these sites out to sea would address local issues that could have an impact on seabird colonies, such as new developments in coastal waters.
Fishermen see that as leaving the door open for imposing restrictions once the SPA extensions have been accepted.
