A UK Government minister has hailed a project the Scottish Greens once hailed as a model for deeply controversial fishing ban plans – in a sign consensus could yet be built on the contentious proposals.
Scotland Office minister John Lamont visited the no-take zone on the Isle of Arran on Thursday and praised the approach of the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (Coast) for putting “community support and engagement at the heart of their Marine Protected Area”.
The Scottish Greens had previously said the no-take zone at Lamlash Bay on the island served as a model for mooted ambitions to introduce Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in a tenth of Scottish waters.
Environment Secretary Màiri McAllan announced at the end of June the Scottish Government was scrapping its plans for HPMAs and has been touring around the country this summer to speak with fishermen and coastal communities about revisions to the proposed scheme.
While the plans have been hotly contested, unlike transgender law reforms or the failed deposit return recycling scheme, they have not become a site for constitutional warfare between Scotland’s two governments.
In May, Rishi Sunak criticised the Scottish Government’s plans as they stood at the time, in response to a plea from LibDem MP Jamie Stone calling on the UK Government to intervene.
Sunak said he hoped the Edinburgh administration would revise their plans.
But in a sign that it may yet be possible to create consensus around the incredibly sensitive issue of fishing restrictions, Lamont, who is Alister Jack’s junior in the Scotland Office, praised the restricted zone around Lamlash Bay in Arran.
The Scottish Greens had previously held up the Arran no-take zone, where virtually all commercial fishing other than creeling and hand-diving for scallops is banned, as a model to aspire to in the ambition to create HPMAs all over the Scottish coast.
'Work with the fishing industry'
Speaking after his visit, which formed part of a tour of the west of Scotland last week, Lamont (below) told the Sunday National: “It was fascinating to visit Coast and go aboard their new research vessel.
"I was very struck by the fact that Coast put community support and engagement at the heart of their Marine Protected Area, and there is no blanket ban on human activity.
"We all recognise the need to protect our marine ecosystems.
“The UK Government continues to develop pilot marine protection areas in English waters, but we believe it is critical to work with the fishing industry and coastal communities to ensure that they can continue to thrive whilst preserving our marine environment.
"As an independent coastal state, our three pilot areas build on our global leadership commitments to protect and conserve our blue planet, while supporting a sustainable fishing industry."
Áine Purcell-Milton, the executive director of Coast, said the minister had agreed with the ethos of the project, which was led by the community.
She contrasted this with the top-down approach from the Scottish Government which appears to have spooked the fishing industry.
There’s been a huge amount of backlash in regards to HPMAs and we wanted to make it clear the big difference in how our no-take zone was brought about and how the recent MPAs were being brought about,” she said.
“It was through community support and ownership that the no-take zone happened here and [Lamont] was very responsive to that.
“I think he was agreeing with what we were saying and I think that most people would agree with that statement, that if you’re going to put spatial management in, you need the support of the local community.
“I don’t think they can be successful without that or they could be implemented with loads of negativity from the community.”
Restrictions could be economic boost
One of the key advantages of the Coast project has been its ability to boast of the economic benefits of the scheme.
Because the seabed has been allowed to recover after years of intensive fishing, the marine life in the bay is now thriving to the point where it is a tourist attraction in its own right, with companies selling snorkelling opportunities and boat trips to explore the sea bed.
Purcell-Milton said: “We were also talking to him about the economic value of recovering marine environment [which] is, I think, not looked at as a valuable asset.
“We look at the industries, we look at fishing and tourism as a valuable asset that supports all those industries. It was kind of just trying to show him the amount of industries that we have happening within our MPA and that is happening because of its health.
“We have a lot more marine tourism like diving and snorkelling happening and that’s happening because of the spatial management, we have loads of stand-up paddleboarders because they’re coming here and they can view loads of marine animals below, they can see whales and dolphins coming into the bay, they might see a glimpse of a basking shark.
“We have a lot of commercial vessels doing trips within the MPA and around Holy Isle and so all of that is supported by that recovering marine environment.
“We brought him to our discovery centre and showed him some of the unsustainable fishing methods that are happening in shore waters around Scotland that would be dredging. We have a set of dredgers there and showed him how destructive they are within the marine environment.”
Another advantage of the scheme is its ability to sustain sensitive types of fishing, like creeling and hand-diving for scallops, where the initial plans for HPMAs would have seen every form of commercial fishing completely banned in the zones.
The Coast director said: “We support industries that are using the marine environment sustainably like creeling and hand-diving scallops.
“A big thing within the non-mobile sector, like creelers, is we have and I’ve spoken with them directly, we have a lot of hand-scallop divers that come from a fishing town here called Tarbert. They come to Arran, they benefit from the MPA here because its recovering because fishing isn’t allowed in the MPA.”
Triple whammy win
The Scottish Greens released a film earlier this year, in which West of Scotland MSP Ross Greer (below) said models like the Lamlash Bay no-take zone were a “win-win-win” for coastal communities.
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.
“The local fishing community are delighted because of the positive spillover effect that we’re seeing in the areas that they are able to fish in.
“It’s been win-win-win.”
Greens MSP Ariane Burgess added: "The Lamlash Bay no-take zone has been an undeniable success, with clearer and healthier waters, a thriving ecosystem and the return of nature.
"It shows what’s possible in a short period of time and the positive impact that no-take zones can have on our communities.
“There are successful no-take zones 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.
“The ocean is at the heart of tackling the climate and nature crisis, it is vital we do everything we can to protect it for our planet, for nature and for those who have built their lives around it.
“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.”
The Scottish Government are expected to unveil revised fishing restriction plans after parliament returns from its summer break at the beginning of September, though no firm date has yet been given.
A spokesperson said: “The Cabinet Secretary set out the government’s position to the Scottish Parliament in June.
“While we remain firmly committed to the outcome of enhanced marine protection, the proposal as consulted on will not be progressed and a full response to the consultation and information on the next steps will be published after summer recess.
“Ministers are continuing to engage with coastal communities.
“We have seen successful initiatives to improve the state of the local marine environment in Arran and in St Abbs and Eyemouth, and also internationally.
“The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting any group that wishes to follow their example and pursue community-led marine protection in its local area.
“The Cabinet Secretary has made clear that she is determined to protect our oceans in a way that is fair, and to find a way forward that ensures our seas remain a source of prosperity for the nation, especially in our remote, coastal and island communities.”
