Meeting of the Parliament 19 February 2015
As Claudia Beamish knows, our approach is to encourage enhancement of the marine environment when possible, but we have to respect existing activities. Unless there is strong evidence that existing activities are causing significant damage, we must respect the fact that they have been there for a long time and should continue. Of course, we should enhance the marine environment where possible.
Many members have alluded to delicate balances and I want to highlight some of the issues that arose during the debate that might illustrate the challenge facing the Government in striking that balance. Margaret McDougall and Rob Gibson spoke about the calls for more fisheries conservation at the local level in different parts of Scotland. At the same time, we have the committee’s recommendation that we should perhaps put more safeguards in for the fishing industry. It is difficult to have it both ways, so we have to strike a balance because, in the eyes of some, those two positions are incompatible.
On aquaculture, we heard Tavish Scott looking for a plan to promote aquaculture in Shetland, and Jean Urquhart said that she did not want to see a target for aquaculture and that we should take a precautionary approach. The plan does a fairly good job of balancing the requirements of those two positions. We can have a sustainable aquaculture sector that develops and sustains jobs in local communities in the times ahead.
The marine plan does not just go out to 12 miles, the area which is the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament. Because of the agreement with the UK Government, it goes out to 200 miles, albeit that we are waiting for additional responsibilities such as control over the management of the Crown Estate. We are seeking confirmation from the UK Government that that will go out to 200 miles and not just 12 miles.
The fact that the marine plan goes out to 200 miles gives us a range of factors that we can take into account when planning for the future. We have to safeguard fishing wherever possible. We also need the ability to have preferred locations for marine renewable developments. We have to look at salmon and other migratory species, their impact on the environment and the impact that other activities have on their health. We have to look at how we reuse oil and gas infrastructure where possible, particularly in relation to carbon capture and storage. So there is a range of issues that we can look at because the plan covers the area between 12 and 200 miles.
We are entering a new era for the marine environment of Scotland. We are a global player when it comes to the marine and maritime sectors and the richness of our seas. In my opening remarks, I outlined how we have unique species, offshore renewables potential, the oil and gas industry, the fishing industry and so on. We are a major global player when it comes to the maritime sectors.
We are now looking at marine protected areas, which will soon be implemented in Scotland to add more conservation of the marine features that lie beneath the waves. Inshore fisheries groups have been set up to look at local management of fishing. We are looking at regional planning partnerships, and as part of what we have discussed today around the marine plan we are looking to take a bottom-up rather than a top-down approach.