The Scottish government’s commitment to designate at least 10 percent of Scotland’s seas as highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) by 2026 has garnered fierce opposition from fishermen’s associations, salmon farmers, shellfish producers, local councils, community trusts, some members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and the U.K. Parliament (MPs), among others.
“This could be the death knell for the salmon farming industry, which is worth GBP 760 million [USD 951 million, EUR 874 million] to the Scottish economy,” Salmon Scotland Chief Executive Tavish Scott told SeafoodSource. “It threatens rural life in Scotland and could spark new Highland clearances.”
HPMAs aim to protect the seabed from human activity and allow marine ecosystems to recover from problems such as illegal fishing, but Scott said the consequences of implementing these protected areas will actually undercut their intended outcomes.
“The proposals … undermine the government's vision of a ‘blue economy’ and is counter to their policies aimed at promoting food security and boosting international trade,” he said.
Scotland’s strategy for establishing a blue economy includes fostering “innovative, entrepreneurial, productive, and internationally competitive” marine sectors; Becoming “a global leader in … sustainably harvested and farmed blue foods;” and establishing “thriving, resilient, regenerated, healthy communities [that] have more equal access to the benefits that ocean resources provide.”
A 15-month stakeholder consultation on the HPMA proposals, which ended in April 2023, elicited scores of responses. The next step in the process is a series of public workshops that will occur over the next 18 months with the goal of informing HPMA development. The final stage is a public consultation in 2025 before official designations of HPMA sites in 2026.
According to guidelines issued by NatureScot and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), a five-stage site selection process for the HPMAs will center on an ecosystem approach that includes protection for the seabed, water column, and marine life in each area under consideration. The presence of resources including blue carbon and essential fish habitats, as well as other components like protection of the coast from storms and sea level rise, research and education, and public enjoyment and appreciation, will all factor into the decision-making process.
Salmon Scotland, in response to the HPMA consultation, argued the proposed sites will place strict limits on key commercial activities such as fishing and aquaculture, as well as recreational activities, counter to Scotland’s blue economy objectives.
“As they stand, the proposals to implement a dogmatic ban on marine activity in huge swathes of waters will adversely affect the very people who live and work in the island and coastal communities and who already take great care to protect the natural assets they are so reliant upon,” Scott said.
A former politician, Scott is concerned that political interests steered by the Scottish National Party (SNP)-Green Party joint government deal are taking precedence over scientific evidence regarding sustainable growth and that those in power have become indifferent to the struggles of rural life.
Scotland’s new first minister, Humza Yousaf, in the face of mounting opposition over the HPMA proposals, said the protected areas would not impose on any communities that are “vehemently opposed” to the idea.
However, when challenged in parliament, he refused to say how he or his government would define these communities, how consultation with these communities would occur, or how vehement any opposition has to be to secure a veto. He said it would be “completely wrong” to preempt the outcome of the consultation.
Scott said his organization fully supports proposals to improve Scotland's marine environment but believes that banning responsible use of the sea is not the right solution. He also questions why aquaculture operations cannot coexist with HPMAs as they currently do within marine protected areas (MPAs), which cover 37 percent of Scottish waters.
MPAs are areas of the sea in which a government sets limits on human activity, such as fishing with gear, that might damage the seabed or result in overfishing. HPMAs, however, are areas of the sea and shoreline where all activity is restricted to allow nature to fully recover.
“One in three salmon farms operate responsibly in MPAs, and many of these were designated after the farms had been established,” Scott said.
The exact effects MPAs have on the seafood industry have been the subject of a number of studies, including a recent one that found a large MPA in Mexico had no effect on the commercial fishing industry in the region. However, other researchers have found counterevidence and flaws in some studies touting the benefits of MPAs, and University of Washington Professor of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences Ray Hilborn has been vocally opposed to the practice, in favor of more comprehensive regulations tackling wider ocean issues.
As the impacts of MPAs on the seafood industry continue to be debated and studied, Scott said there are fears the multinational businesses that own Scotland’s salmon farms will lose confidence in the ability of the country to support the industry and turn to Scandinavia or other geographies for space to grow. The consequent loss of investment and jobs, as well as the broader effect on the supply chain, would have a devastating economic impact, according to Scott.
“Iceland is looking for a five-fold increase in its aquaculture sector over the next decade and already looks set to benefit from the fallout of the Norwegian government’s decision to introduce a 25 percent tax that will apply to the value added to fish during their time in net pens. The tax is in addition to the 22 percent corporation tax already paid by fish farming companies,” he said.
Scott also cited the example of Mowi, which is based in Norway but which also operates in Scotland and globally, moving into Iceland with the acquisition of just over 51 percent of the shares in Arctic Fish.
“We need our government to restore the supportive relationship it had built up with [the] industry and to work with fishermen and aquaculture operators to promote responsible use of marine resources, rather than using a blanket ban,” he said.
Photo courtesy of Salmon Scotland
