Chair: Kenneth Gibson MSP

The third session began with Fiona Gell from the Isle of Man Government. She gave a short history of conservation of scallop stocks, which began in 1989 when a small area around Port Erin was closed. She described that initially most fishermen were unhappy, but that how over the past 20 years that has changed and it is now the Isle of Man fishermen who are suggesting new areas. The Government, fishermen and the community in the Isle of Man are moving towards a much more sustainable future for the marine waters surrounding the Isle of Man. In discussion after Fiona’s presentation it was commented on how the Scottish Government could learn from their near neighbours on the Isle of Man. There were also comments on how the Isle of Man fishermen feel when each November Scottish scallop dredgers arrive to benefit from management measures put in place around the Isle of Man. Back in Scotland the same dredgers are seen to procrastinate over any similar management. Click below to view her presentation.

Fiona Gell, Fisheries Directorate, Isle of Man Government
Developing Marine Protected Areas in the Isle of Man

Tavis Potts, an Australian from Sydney and lecturer in Ocean Governance at the Scottish Association of Marine Science in Oban, spoke eloquently of the 2010 Marine (Scotland) Act. The strategy is to change marine governance, its legal framework, fishermen’s attitudes to it and marine planning issues. He spoke of ecological quality, economic diversification and opportunity, social engagement and mobilisation. He emphasised that the law is important, but what is more important is what people do. He argued that the five strands of Biological, Economic, Environmental, Social and Governance must all be involved.

Tavis Potts, Scottish Association of Marine Science
Fisheries, MSP, Governance: Issues For Discussion

Seth Macinko of the University of Rhode Island talked about the privatisation of the oceans. Whilst his presentation focused on the American context, it resonated with the British legal issue of who owns the marine commons. He related the push in America for fishing rights to shape legal and community involvement. He explained that In the USA, less than 50 people conducted decisions on fishery management, whilst the rest are industry lobbyists. He explained that the very basis of fishing rights was being considered under a legal scheme which would allow private ownership of the entire marine environment. He warned everyone to be aware of this back door route to ownership of the sea.

Seth Macinko, University of Rhode Island
The Last Frontier

Rupert Crilly of the New Economics Foundation (NEF) and OCEAN 2012 spoke of the Common Fisheries Policy and tragic state of the fishing industry worldwide. There is 80% overfishing, 30% outside biological limits. The basic cost of fish was not rising in the shops due to imports disguising the true situation. There are 48% higher catches allowed than the scientific advice given.
Fish stocks peaked in 1938 and in many areas subsidies were being paid to fisherman which are much higher than the value of what was being landed and sold at markets. Ocean 2012, of which C.O.A.S.T. is a member, is prioritising environmental objectives to establish a sustainable fishing industry. With a new CFP planned for 2012, Ocean 2012 wants to see legally enforced quotas based directly on scientific advice, which is largely ignored at present.

Rupert Crilly, New Economics Foundation
The Common Fisheries Policy – Towards a Reform