Committee
Environment and Rural Development Committee, 09 Jan 2007
09 Jan 2007 · S2 · Environment and Rural Development Committee
Item of business
Marine Environment Inquiry
Bertie Armstrong:
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I have what I hope is a strong message from the Scottish fishing industry. On the first focus point of the inquiry, which is use, I should say that fishing in Scotland almost predates history. It is very much a hallmark Scottish activity, in that the product is excellent and, at this point in its history, it is a healthy industry. However you measure it—whether by volume or turnover—most of the United Kingdom's fishing industry is centred in the north and on the activities of the Scottish fleet. The industry has changed mightily in the past few decades. It has done so painfully—which has been accepted—in response to conservation issues. We now find ourselves with an industry that is about the right size, by which I mean that sustainable catching just about matches catching capacity. There will always be an imbalance of one sort or another—probably in a sine-wave fashion—but, right now, we are about the right size.Contrary to the impression that you might get from the perception in the press, we are harvesting our target stocks entirely sustainably. The challenge is to continue to do so, so there is a complicated regime behind that to ensure that it happens. We co-operate fully in that regard.I am encouraged by the fact that most other submissions include a headline statement to the effect that we have an excellent environment around Scotland.The biggest challenge that I face is that emotion and perception skew the public's view and influence the views of law-makers about the reality of fishing. For example, many people will have seen the weekend edition of The Scotsman, which carried an article on fishing, with the double-banner headline, "Escalating threat to the future of Scotland's seas". The article is simply wrong. It lists a litany of disasters that have been cherry picked from elsewhere in the world, but it does not describe the responsible Scottish fishing industry.My message has two parts: first, we have a right-sized industry that, when all is said and done, provides a natural resource that is entirely sustainable if we get it right—that is the challenge—and which provides protein for us to eat; and secondly, if we were to legislate in the wrong way, such that we depressed the fishing fleet out of existence, the consequence would be that we would still get protein from the sea but it would be transported over many miles. The food miles that would be involved would probably be in thousands rather than in hundreds. The fish would also be caught using methods and in places over which we have absolutely no influence, whereas at this point in history we have a right-sized fleet over whose activities we—the public and legislators—have enormous influence.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Sarah Boyack):
Lab
Good afternoon. I welcome members of the committee, one visiting member, members of the press and the many members of the public who are with us this afterno...
Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green):
Green
I am a Green MSP for the Highlands and Islands.
Richard Fairbairns (Sea Life Surveys and Wild Scotland):
I am wearing two hats this afternoon, just to confuse everybody. Primarily, I am a boat operator for Sea Life Surveys off the west coast of Scotland but I am...
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab):
Lab
I am the Labour MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston.
Bertie Armstrong (Scottish Fishermen's Federation):
I am the chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, which is the trade association that looks after the catching sector.
Mr Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I am the Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife.
Dominic Counsell (Scottish National Heritage):
I am a national strategy manager for Scottish Natural Heritage.
Professor Graham Shimmield (Scottish Association for Marine Science):
I am the director of the Scottish Association for Marine Science at Dunstaffnage.
Mr Alasdair Morrison (Western Isles) (Lab):
Lab
I am the Labour MSP for the Western Isles.
Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green):
Green
I am the Green party MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife.
Michael Scott (Marine Biodiversity Working Group):
I chair the marine biodiversity working group.
Nigel Mills (British Ports Association):
I am the director of harbours for Orkney Islands Council and I am here to represent the British Ports Association.
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
I am a Scottish National Party MSP for the Highlands and Islands.
Ben Hadfield (Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation):
I represent the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation and I am also employed by Marine Harvest as its environmental and technical manager.
Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD):
LD
I am the Liberal Democrat MSP for Gordon.
David Wilkie (British Marine Federation Scotland):
I am the Scottish president of the British Marine Federation, which represents marine leisure businesses. I run a boat yard and marina in Argyll.
Professor William Ritchie (Aberdeen Institute for Coastal Science and Management):
I am a professor at the University of Aberdeen and the director of the Aberdeen institute for coastal science and management.
Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
I am the SNP member for Moray.
Lloyd Austin (Scottish Environment LINK):
I represent Scottish Environment LINK's marine taskforce.
Max Carcas (Scottish Renewables Forum):
I am the business development director for Ocean Power Delivery and I represent the Scottish Renewables Forum.
The Convener:
Lab
During the first part of the meeting, I propose that we focus on the key issues, pressures and challenges in respect of the marine environment. Many of those...
Bertie Armstrong:
I have what I hope is a strong message from the Scottish fishing industry. On the first focus point of the inquiry, which is use, I should say that fishing i...
Mr Brocklebank:
Con
I am interested in what Bertie Armstrong has said and can certainly agree with some of his comments. However, I seek his thoughts and those of whoever produc...
The Convener:
Lab
Although the question has been put to two witnesses, I ask Bertie Armstrong to be quite brief, given that he kicked off our discussion of the topic. He can a...
Bertie Armstrong:
We can draw a straight parallel with arable farming. Dragging a plough across a sensitive habitat of flora will wreck the flora. Dragging a trawl across a se...
The Convener:
Lab
Graham Shimmield provided us with the Scottish Association for Marine Science's submission. Does he want to respond?
Professor Shimmield:
Our submission quotes a scientific paper by Mike Kaiser of the University of Bangor in North Wales, which reviewed the worldwide impact of bottom-fishing—I m...
Mr Brocklebank:
Con
I want to mention another subject that brings the conservationists and the fishermen into conflict from time to time, and on which we have had reports from v...
The Convener:
Lab
I invite Graham Shimmield to respond to that, before we hear from Richard Lochhead.
Professor Shimmield:
I believe that that is the case. Unfortunately, one body that is not represented here is the sea mammal research unit that is based at the University of St A...