Committee
Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee 16 March 2021
16 Mar 2021 · S5 · Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee
Item of business
Subordinate Legislation
Red Rocks and Longay Urgent Marine Conservation Order 2021 (SSI 2021/131)
It is right that NatureScot’s initial advice took a precautionary approach and called for the closure of a wide area with a buffer zone. It takes only one mistake to dredge out or destroy an area such with those precious flapper skate eggs. Once those eggs are gone, they are gone, so a precautionary approach makes sense. Angus MacDonald makes an important point about the role of divers doing citizen science research and identifying those precious areas in which the flapper skate are laying their eggs, which ensures that we can protect them. Although the area has been drawn tightly and is quite small, there is a need for more science and a need to involve the divers—in particular, professional scallop divers—so that they can continue their work in a broader area and can identify other areas that should be protected. In that respect, I am happy to approve the order today—I will not object to it—but it is the absolute minimum that the Scottish Government can do. Understanding what lies beneath the seas and what we need to do to protect such areas will involve divers and citizen scientists being able to access a wider area to bring in data to enable the design of conservation policy with full understanding and knowledge of the vulnerability of the species and where they are.
In the same item of business
The Convener
SNP
Item 4 is consideration of a Scottish statutory instrument that the Scottish Government laid on an urgent basis to protect a recently discovered nursery site...
Claudia Beamish
Lab
It is fundamentally important to protect such sites in our marine environment in the context of sustainable development. I am relieved that the SSI has been ...
Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP)
SNP
Following on from Claudia Beamish’s comments, I agree that there seems to be an issue on that point. We would not be aware of the situation at Red Rocks and ...
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
It is important that we appreciate how important it is to protect the flapper skate, which the Scottish Government has identified as a priority feature. Howe...
Mark Ruskell
Green
It is right that NatureScot’s initial advice took a precautionary approach and called for the closure of a wide area with a buffer zone. It takes only one mi...
The Convener
SNP
Thank you. There is also the issue that NatureScot recommended that a wider area be protected but the Government has decided to go with the evidence of where...
Claudia Beamish
Lab
I echo your words, convener, and I would like to thank you heartily for convening the committee, managing us all and helping us to be, whenever we could be, ...
The Convener
SNP
That is really appreciated. Thank you. I should mention that the other person who is involved very closely with our committee, the Cabinet Secretary for Envi...