Aquaculture body Salmon Scotland has asked Scottish government not to put politics before employment when considering a proposed ban on all marine activity in Scottish waters.
As part of the SNP’s agreement with the Scottish Greens, Scottish government launched a consultation on designating Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs). It would see at least 10% of coastal waters around Scotland closed to human activity, imposing an extra barrier on aquaculture expansion.
Salmon Scotland has warned HPMAs could put jobs in fragile coastal communities at risk and undermine the government’s vision of a “blue economy”, with its CEO Tavish Scott saying the plans appear to be driven by political agendas rather than science.
According to Salmon Scotland, there’s currently no evidence that the proposed HPMAs will work. It has urged the government to undertake a thorough independent review of how science has been used to establish the policy framework and to consider all pressures on the marine environment in a balanced way.
It advises that one in three salmon farms already operate responsibly in marine protected areas (MPAs), which cover 37% of Scottish waters. Many of these MPAs were designated after the farms had already been established in the area.
Scottish salmon farms directly employ 2,500 people and support more than 3,600 suppliers. The sector adds approximately GBP 760 million-a-year to the country’s economy (GVA), while Scottish salmon is the UK’s biggest food export.
“Salmon farms occupy a tiny proportion of Scotland’s waters, yet ours is one of the most important sectors of the marine economy and one of the biggest employers in the Highlands and islands,” Scott said. “We have grave concerns that HPMAs as currently proposed will result in significant job losses in some of our most fragile coastal communities, and damage the Scottish government’s own blue economy approach that supports sustainable economic growth.”
He added that if government proposals force salmon farmers out of marine areas, business will lose confidence in Scotland and turn their attention to Scandinavian competitors.
“That means Scotland losing out on good, well-paid jobs and investment when we need it most.”
