Charities urge Scottish Government to further protect marine habitats.
A switch to environmentally friendly forms of fishing could boost jobs in rural communities – and help preserve fragile eco-systems.
Scottish Environment Link, a coalition of charities, says the economic case for placing limits on bottom trawling in already protected areas is overwhelming.
The group’s marine taskforce has written to ministers as the Scottish Government looks at measures for managing fishing in specially designated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
A report compiled by Environment Link says that if the Scottish Government ends the practice of towing heavy fishing gear, such as mechanical dredges and weighted trawl nets, across protected fragile seabed habitats, then there could be substantial knock-on benefits for local economies.
The practice destroys habitat such as coral and maerl beds which fish use to spawn, with their destruction having a knock-on effect on fisheries.
We must start making decisions for the long-term health of our seas, all marine wildlife and coastal communities
Until recently, there have been few attempts to halt seabed destruction – until the creation of a network of MPAs, where marine areas are allowed to recover and effectively re-seed adjacent areas.
MPAs offer these areas special levels of protection, but green groups want ministers to maintain their progressive plans to prohibit damaging fishing methods from the sensitive habitats within MPAs.”
Environment Link’s report says such measures could potentially provide substantial benefits to coastal communities, for example by providing new opportunities for other forms of fishing and commercial marine activities.
Calum Duncan, head of conservation Scotland at the Marine Conservation Society and convenor of Environment Link’s marine taskforce said: “Whilst we are not advocating blanket bans throughout all the MPAs, the report does clearly underline why we must start making management decisions for the long-term health of our seas, all marine wildlife and the coastal communities that rely upon them, instead of locking in short-termism.
“By looking after Scotland’s seas better, we can safeguard fishing and other economic opportunities now and for the future. A network of well-managed MPAs is therefore a sound investment for this and future generations.”
Sarah Dolman, senior policy manager at Whale and Dolphin Conservation, said: “Management developed specifically to protect and recover important seabed habitats would have knock-on benefits for all habitats and species below the waves, from fish nurseries to Scotland’s largest filter-feeders, such as humpback whales, minke whales and basking sharks. A healthy seabed provides for a healthy and productive sea, both for its inhabitants and for us.”
Dr Richard Luxmoore, senior nature conservation adviser at the National Trust for Scotland, said: “For decades we have deployed a form of fishing that drags heavy gear over our seabed. This has undoubtedly contributed to declining marine biodiversity in our inshore seas, whilst we depend on a decreased range of fish and shellfish stocks. Something has to change. Protecting and allowing the expansion of the remaining pockets of biodiversity in our inshore area is a good start.”
The MPA scheme was pioneered by tiny charity Community of Arran Seabed Trust in Lamlash Bay, Arran, work which won its founder Howard Wood the coveted Goldman Environmental Prize.
Other MPAs are from Loch Sunart to Sound of Jura, the Small Isles and Wester Ross.
