Scottish Government Backs Down On Imposing Marine Protected Areas

4th May 2023

Over the last two days, Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has made impassioned pleas against the SNP's roughshod approach to imposing Highly Protected Marine Areas on coastal communities. Even a few SNP members spoke against the government legislation being imposed.

Mrs Grant, who is also the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Islands told the Minister for Environment, Mairi McAllan that all while all Political Party's were concerned for the marine environment the Government's "top down" approach had only served to collapse communities trust and confidence in the process.

She further asked the Parliament to agree that any HPMA protections should be developed with fishing communities and economies and that appropriate exclusions were put in place to benefit local communities and economies without being to the detriment of the marine environment. The Parliament agreed to reconsider HPMA proposals taking Mrs Grant's request into account.

Mrs Grant said: "It is really concerning that these proposals have been top down. The First Minister gave a commitment that they would not be imposed on communities, now the Scottish Government motion says they will not be imposed on communities that are vehemently opposed.

"Do they really want to see those communities demonstrate vehement opposition? What would that look like? This is not a just transition."

Mrs Grant said that she was already hearing reports of the damaging impact on coastal communities due to the uncertainty that the threat of impending HPMAs was creating.

"I already hear of fishers preparing to sell their boats and move away - this is deeply damaging given that the areas concerned are also subject to depopulation. The uncertainty surrounding this is devastating to local economies, people cannot invest and banks will not support them given their businesses may not have a future.

“It is not just fisheries that are involved, fish farming, seaweed cultivation and harvesting. As well as the many businesses that depend on marine tourism. Yet Scot Wind areas will be exempt.

“The waters that were sold on the cheap with no community benefit will be exempt in order that their foreign investors are protected. Exempting them and their profits adds insult to injury"

Following the debates Mrs Grant said: “No one disputes the need to protect Scotland’s seas, but scapegoating and penalising the communities who have cultivated these areas for thousands of years is the some of the most “laird" like behaviour Scotland has been subject to in decades.

“Mairi McAllan says this is the Government consultation, but she needs to sit up and take notice of the panic and distrust it has sown across Scotland. The communities are expressing their vehement disavowal of this process and the Government is making a hash up of this or any future plans it may come up with by flagrantly wafting away any criticism instead of listening and learning.”