SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT FAILING OVER ARRAN NO TAKE ZONE


	GREEN MSP MEDIA RELEASE For immediate release Thursday 12 November 2009 GREENS: SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT FAILING OVER ARRAN NO TAKE ZONE The Scottish Greens have today claimed that the No Take Zone (NTZ) in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran is failing due to regular illegal scallop dredging in the area. The Greens have also criticised the Scottish Government for its failure to establish a wider Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Bay more than a year after it was promised by Ministers. The NTZ and MPA in Lamlash Bay became law on Friday 19 September 2008,and the initiative was proudly announced at that time by Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, Richard Lochhead. During today's Parliamentary question time, Patrick Harvie MSP asked the Cabinet Secretary if the NTZ was meeting its objectives, and what progress had been made with the wider MPA. The Cabinet Secretary responded that it was too early to say whether the NTZ was meeting its objectives, and that progress was being made with the wider MPA. When questioned regarding the illegal scallop dredging in the NTZ, and the cause of the delay to the establishment of the wider MPA, the Cabinet Secretary was unable to answer, stating that he would have to check with his officials. Patrick Harvie MSP said: "There is now clear evidence that the No Take Zone in Lamlash Bay is still being dredged for scallops, despite its protected status and the banning of dredging in that area. It is also extremely disappointing that more than a year after the Cabinet Secretary announced the establishment of the wider Marine Protected Area, it is still not in place. "There has been a clear failure to enforce the law by the ScottishGovernment, and intransigence on the part of the Minister and his officials has meant that no progress has been made with the Marine Protected Area. This is especially worrying at this time, as the forthcoming Marine Bill includes a section giving Ministers the power to designate a network of Scottish Marine Protected Areas. If the Scottish Government can't even deliver a single, small trial Area, then this doesn't bode well for either the Marine Bill, or the future of Scotland's fisheries and marine environment. "Furthermore, if the Scottish Government cannot stop illegal dredging in a small area that is close to shore and is overlooked by the local community, what hope does that give us that the proposed network of Marine Protected Areas in the forthcoming Marine Bill, and the legislation itself, will be properly delivered and enforced?" In his response to the questions from Patrick Harvie MSP, the Cabinet Secretary paid tribute to the community campaigners from the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST)(1) who have spent the past 15 years campaigning for the NTZ and MPA in Lamlash Bay. However, the campaigners have been less than reciprocal in their view of the Minister, his officials and local fishing interests. Howard Wood from COAST said: "We can only stand and watch helplessly from the shore as scallop dredgers with their identities hidden enter the area in the dark and dredge the No Take Zone. We have attempted to report this illegal activity, but we have been met with a wall of silence and inaction from both the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency and the Scottish Government. We are slowly but surely seeing fifteen years worth of hard work being unpicked by a handful of rogue scallop dredgers, and we don't seem to be able to get anyone in Government to do anything about it. We are being completely failed in this regard. "We are also concerned with the Minister's claim that there has been progress towards the establishment of the wider Marine Protected Area in Lamlash Bay, as this is just not the case. We are no nearer having the Marine Protected Area than we were a year ago, and this is largely due to stonewalling, inactivity and intransigence on the part of local fishermen and their friends the Cabinet Secretary and his officials. It is particularly galling to have the Cabinet Secretary pay tribute to our community campaign today, as he and his fishermen friends have done little but sideline and ignore us for the past year since the No Take Zone and Marine Protected Area were announced." Notes 1. More information about COAST can be found at: www.arrancoast.com Howard Wood can be contacted on: 01770 700466 or 07979 954764. Stan Blackley Policy and Media Adviser Scottish Green MSPs Scottish Parliament Edinburgh EH99 1SP Tel: 0131 348 636 Mob: 07770 742 449 Fax: 0131 348 5972

GREEN MSP MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release Thursday 12 November 2009

GREENS: SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT FAILING OVER ARRAN NO TAKE ZONE

The Scottish Greens have today claimed that the No Take Zone (NTZ) in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran is failing due to regular illegal scallop dredging in the area. The Greens have also criticised the Scottish Government for its failure to establish a wider Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Bay more than a year after it was promised by Ministers.

The NTZ and MPA in Lamlash Bay became law on Friday 19 September 2008,and the initiative was proudly announced at that time by Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, Richard Lochhead.

During today's Parliamentary question time, Patrick Harvie MSP asked the Cabinet Secretary if the NTZ was meeting its objectives, and what progress had been made with the wider MPA. The Cabinet Secretary responded that it was too early to say whether the NTZ was meeting its objectives, and that progress was being made with the wider MPA.

When questioned regarding the illegal scallop dredging in the NTZ, and the cause of the delay to the establishment of the wider MPA, the Cabinet Secretary was unable to answer, stating that he would have to check with his officials.

Patrick Harvie MSP said:

"There is now clear evidence that the No Take Zone in Lamlash Bay is still being dredged for scallops, despite its protected status and the banning of dredging in that area. It is also extremely disappointing that more than a year after the Cabinet Secretary announced the establishment of the wider Marine Protected Area, it is still not in place.

"There has been a clear failure to enforce the law by the ScottishGovernment, and intransigence on the part of the Minister and his officials has meant that no progress has been made with the Marine Protected Area. This is especially worrying at this time, as the forthcoming Marine Bill includes a section giving Ministers the power to
designate a network of Scottish Marine Protected Areas. If the Scottish Government can't even deliver a single, small trial Area, then this doesn't bode well for either the Marine Bill, or the future of Scotland's fisheries and marine environment.

"Furthermore, if the Scottish Government cannot stop illegal dredging in a small area that is close to shore and is overlooked by the local community, what hope does that give us that the proposed network of Marine Protected Areas in the forthcoming Marine Bill, and the legislation itself, will be properly delivered and enforced?"

In his response to the questions from Patrick Harvie MSP, the Cabinet Secretary paid tribute to the community campaigners from the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST)(1) who have spent the past 15 years campaigning for the NTZ and MPA in Lamlash Bay. However, the campaigners have been less than reciprocal in their view of the Minister, his officials and local fishing interests.

Howard Wood from COAST said:

"We can only stand and watch helplessly from the shore as scallop dredgers with their identities hidden enter the area in the dark and dredge the No Take Zone. We have attempted to report this illegal activity, but we have been met with a wall of silence and inaction from both the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency and the Scottish Government. We are slowly but surely seeing fifteen years worth of hard work being unpicked by a handful of rogue scallop dredgers, and we don't seem to be able to get anyone in Government to do anything about it. We
are being completely failed in this regard.

"We are also concerned with the Minister's claim that there has been progress towards the establishment of the wider Marine Protected Area in Lamlash Bay, as this is just not the case. We are no nearer having the Marine Protected Area than we were a year ago, and this is largely due to stonewalling, inactivity and intransigence on the part of local fishermen and their friends the Cabinet Secretary and his officials. It is particularly galling to have the Cabinet Secretary pay tribute to our community campaign today, as he and his fishermen friends have done little but sideline and ignore us for the past year since the No Take Zone and Marine Protected Area were announced."

Notes

1. More information about COAST can be found at: www.arrancoast.com
Howard Wood can be contacted on: 01770 700466 or 07979 954764.

Stan Blackley
Policy and Media Adviser
Scottish Green MSPs
Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh EH99 1SP

Tel: 0131 348 636
Mob: 07770 742 449
Fax: 0131 348 5972

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