Majority supports restrictions on fishing practices in waters closer to shore

More than half of Scots would back a ban on fishing boats dragging nets along the seabed in waters closer to the shore.

A survey, carried out for the Our Seas coalition, asked people for their views on the practice, known as bottom trawling, and also about scallop dredging – which involves metal framed nets being pulled over the seabed.

The research, carried out by Survation, found that 56% of people would support these being banned in Scotland’s near inshore zone – which covers the waters up to three nautical miles out from the shore.

The Our Seas coalition, which brings together organisations, businesses and communities campaigning for more sustainable use of Scotland’s seas, released details of the poll ahead of a MSPs on Holyrood’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee considering a petition calling for a return of inshore limits on the use of dredging  and trawl fishing gear.

Campaigners at Our Seas argue that these methods of fishing both cause “significant impacts to marine habitats” – but add that bottom trawling is currently allowed in 90% of Scotland’s coastal waters, with dredging permitted in 95%.

The petition to MSPs has been put forward by Alistair “Bally” Philp, the national coordinator of the Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation, who said: “The Scottish  Government say they are going to deliver ‘ecosystem management’ but in reality they appear extremely reluctant to change the status quo which is continued bottom-trawling and more environmental degradation in our coastal waters.”

He added: “If the Scottish Government considered giving preferential access to less damaging fishing gears, as we think it is legally obliged to do, we could have more jobs and start to actually recover the environment in our inshore.”

Hayley Wolcott, coordinator for the Our Seas coalition, said “Many people remember a time when our harbours were bustling with life and inshore waters were teeming with fish.

“Sadly, since the removal of the inshore ban in 1984, intensive and poorly regulated bottom trawling has undermined the health of coastal  ecosystems, including fish populations, and this has badly impacted coastal communities.

“A modern inshore limit on damaging bottom trawling is a vital step to ensure that the health of our seabed can recover and rebuild resilience within our rural economy.

“This poll suggests that the majority of people  across Scotland support this measure.”

However she stressed if such changes were made it was “crucial” for fishermen to be “supported to transition, like happens within Scottish
agricultural policy”.