Lib Dems say fishing plan will hit coastal livelihoods

The Scottish Lib Dems say they will voice the fears of the fishing sector at a Holyrood debate on controversial plans to restrict fishing around Scotland.

MSPs will discuss the proposals for highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) on Tuesday, which could limit fishing in more than 10% of Scotland’s waters.

These plans, aimed at protecting the marine environment, have provoked ire in coastal communities with concern about the economic impact.

Ministers say that communities will be involved in deciding where the HPMAs will be located and a consultation has already taken place.

Lib Dem MSP Beatrice Wishart, who represents Shetland, said the Scottish Government needs to take a more flexible approach.

Ms Wishart said: “Our debate seeks to give a voice to all those communities who depend on the marine environment and who fear that HPMAs will cause serious harm to their lives and livelihoods.

“Protecting stocks and the biodiversity of our waters is obviously vital, but the Scottish Government is taking an overly rigid approach to HPMAs.

“While HPMAs are being considered elsewhere in the UK and across the EU, Scotland is the only country which plans to introduce them so quickly, so indiscriminately and without any proper assessment of their impact.

“In particular, a third of Scotland’s waters are already designated as Marine Protected Areas which benefits specific species and habitats.

“These new HPMAs, however, appear to be a one-size-fits-all policy which make absolutely no distinction between environmentally damaging and environmentally sustainable practices.”

Last week, Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan hit back at opposition claims that the consultation had been inadequate.

The SNP minister said she would visit coastal communities over the summer to discuss HPMAs and would work with them “hand in hand”.