Ministers must reassure coastal communities on protected marine areas – SNP MSP

An SNP MSP has said the Scottish Government must do more to reassure coastal communities about its plans to restrict fishing.

A consultation on highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) closed earlier this month, with the proposals potentially limiting fishing in more than 10% of Scotland’s waters.

Many in the fishing industry have strongly objected to the scheme.

Karen Adam, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, wrote to Cabinet Secretary Mairi McAllan to say there is “widespread concern for the industry as a whole”.

Ms Adam said: “If we are to be successful, however, we need to take the key stakeholders of the blue economy with us, and this requires a just transition.

“It is clear from recent interactions with my constituents that they feel this is not currently the case.”

Meanwhile, a Tory MP says it is “critical” that coastal communities are given more information on the Scottish Government’s proposals

David Duguid, MP for Banff & Buchan, has written to the First Minister with a series of questions on the plans.

He says they would affect an area of the sea 20 times larger than the UK Government’s equivalent plans for water around England.

Mr Duguid tweeted a copy of his letter, saying: “I had previously written to Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon and have received no response, so have written to First Minister, Humza Yousaf to ask the same questions for which answers are critical.”

Last week, Mr Yousaf vowed to work with local communities on the proposals, saying they would not be “steamrolled” through and sites have not been chosen yet.

He told MSPs: “What we want, of course, is our fishing industry and our seas to be sustainable for the future – we want that industry to continue.

“Of course, our fishing communities, our island communities, our coastal communities, have often been at the forefront of that effort around sustainability.

“So, we want to work with them, we want to engage with them.”

Ms McAllan is expected to visit coastal communities over the summer as the Government’s discussions on the HPMAs continue.