Vote for regeneration

Two weeks ago a paper was published in the journal Marine Biology that described early signs that juvenile scallops were more numerous inside a fully protected marine reserve than in surrounding waters. The data was gathered on our doorstep in Lamlash Bay by a partnership of COAST and York University, the result of years of campaigning that made such a baseline study possible.

There are more juvenile scallops inside the No Take Zone than outside of it. It’s the sort of research finding that future generations will perhaps scratch their heads about and wonder why trained scientists would have spent so much time working on a seeming likelihood. Funding for trivial scientific research is sadly all too common – it is a very contemporary source of amazement that academics would devote three years to ‘discovering’ that older people have less sex, or that obese Americans spend more on healthcare than their normal-weight compatriots.

So why is it important to find out whether there is more biodiversity inside Scotland’s first No Take Zone than outside of it, when for many people the answer will be obvious?

The answer is...: 'evidence.'

Politicians need evidence. People whose short-term livelihoods currently depend on the status quo need evidence. The recognition of overfishing and destructive fishing methods is a hard pill to swallow and initial resistance to plans for limiting fishing in certain strategic areas is understandable. In the Isle of Man, it took a few years before fishermen took ownership of the idea and began to self-regulate their fishery more effectively. Quite simply they began to see the benefits. There are now five areas around the Isle of Man where the taking of scallops is banned completely – fishermen are positively invovled in driving these measures.

Scotland is still a wee while away from this situation. In the meantime it is essential to present the evidence and build a sensible social, economic and environmental case for why greater area control is necessary for the regeneration of the Clyde.

A few days before an election, this case is increasingly clear. Only two significant stocks remain: scallops and prawns. At first it might be easy to dismiss the lamented decline of traditional fish stocks and associated economic activities (such as commercial sea angling) by pointing to the buoyant Nephrops (prawn) fishery...

But the very success of the prawn fishery is also its weakness. Roughly 90% of Clyde fishery revenue comes from prawns. If the Clyde Nephrops population was to succumb to a parasitic disease already prevalent in the Firth, then it would cause a serious economic shock to the Clyde coastal economy. This reliance upon a simplified ecosystem that has been damaged by overfishing is equivalent to putting all your eggs into one basket. In investor-speak, it is a chronically non-diversified portfolio.

Back on dry land, sudden relocations or closures of large employers have left many Scottish towns in need of 'urban regeneration.' The same now applies for our marine resource. COAST’s 2011 election guide for marine issues shows that some politicians have now spoken in favour of re-establishing a three mile limit in the Clyde. It is now time to vote for marine regeneration...

SNP AND LABOUR BACK THE THREE MILE LIMIT

So the big Holyrood vote is almost upon us... In Cunninghame North, a seat won by only 48 votes last year, both lead candidates have stated their support for a three mile limit in the Clyde.

For anyone who's voting intentions are still floating around on the party political waters, COAST has published a voting toolkit for Thursday's Scottish parliamentary election.

COAST contacted each of the four Cunnighame North MSP candidates and asked them to state their position on marine conservations/fisheries and to answer the same three questions. We offered to print their responses unedited.

Three candidates replied: the SNP’s Kenneth Gibson, Scottish Labour's Allan Wilson and Scottish Conservative candidate Maurice Golden. You can compare their answers by following the links below....

COAST'S ELECTION GUIDE FOR MARINE ISSUES
1. How would you propose to help the recovery of the Clyde fishery? READ THEIR ANSWERS
2. How will you ensure that all Clyde stakeholders are represented in marine management? READ THEIR ANSWERS
3. Do you think that scallop dredging is a sustainable fishing method? READ THEIR ANSWERS

Click here for a full and updated article on the pre-election positions of Cunninghame North candidates.

OTHER LOCAL NEWS

FSA imposes closure of local waters
Raised levels of toxic algae have forced the temporary closure of Lamlash Bay and the surrounding waters on the east coast of Arran. Stonefield in Loch Fyne also tested positive for biotoxins above the regulatory level, prompting the Food Standards Agency to contact commercial shellfish harvesters in the area. Shellfish farms have been advised to postpone harvesting as eating cockles, mussels or razor fish from the loch may pose a risk to human health until the algal levels subside. Biotoxin results can be downloaded here.

Sealice strategy under scrutiny
A proposal to change the procedures for administering anti-sealice chemicals to fish farms has raised major regulatory issues. The Scottish Salmon Company has applied for permission to treat salmon on Loch Fyne in its wellboats rather than the existing 'bath treatment' in the farm cages. COAST has put lodged a response to the consultation, highlighting some currently unresolved concerns.

Monsters in Lamlash Bay?

COAST’s work in Lamlash Bay has inspired a local author to write a poem about some of the more fantastical creatures to be found in the No Take Zone. Children’s writer Diana Riddell penned the verse as part of her Arran Monsters series, a poetry book full of wacky and fun characters from around the island. ‘And those who cried REGENERATE! Will seek in vain the MEN WE ATE!’ Some fearsomely brilliant Arran Monster mugs are on sale too.... www.riddell-me-doodle.com

Island guide features NTZ

VisitArran’s 2011 island guide has now been published. Available for free on the island, it provides a host of information about the island and features a chapter on Lamlash Bay. The booklet will also be distributed at the Arran on the Square event next weekend (14th/15th May) at Glasgow’s George Square. You can also view the publication online...

NATIONAL NEWS

Moody makes Manx 'determination' as calls mount for accreditation in Scottish scallop sector
Moody Marine's Peer Review panel of the Isle of Man queen scallop trawl and dredge fishery has determined that the trawl unit should be certified, but recommended that the dredge unit should not be awarded the blue MSC ecolabel. Whilst the Manx decision hangs, a debate is growing over the ethics and sustainability of Scottish scallop fishery. Some elements of the Scottish scallop fishing industry have been labelled recently as 'fraudulent,' with allegations that 'dredged' scallops are sometimes passed off as hand-dived. Campaigners are calling for accreditation to stamp out the practice and wider regulatory measures, such as the imposition of a 3 mile limit. The official line by the Scottish Government is that there is no conclusive evidence to support a restriction on dredging. (Objections to Moody Marine's Isle of Man determination can still be lodged within 15 days by the 11th May 2011)

Plastic litter found inside Clyde prawns

Disturbing news from the Clyde suggests that prawns are being contaminated with plastic. Plastic was found in the stomachs of 100 of 120 langoustines sampled  by scientist operating out of the Marine Biological Station in Millport in spring 2009. Most of the contaminating material came from the knots of non-biodegradable plastic from ‘chafers’ - attached to fishermen’s nets to stop them dragging flat on the seabed. Other sources included plastic bags and yacht waste. The plastic is thought to have potentially carcinogenic and feminising effects on the prawns.

Seal cull hits headlines
Campaigners fear that Scotland risks widespread outrage that could endanger national tourism if new laws are not enforced properly. Emblazoned on the front page of a weekend edition of the Herald was the disclosure that since the Marine Act (Scotland) came into force, licenses to shoot seals have been issued to 65 fish farm operations, permitting the cull of almost 1,300 seals. Such licenses should only be issued when all other methods of controlling seal predation fail, but the Seal Protection Action Group say the spirit of the law is not being followed and are calling upon the Scottish government to phase out shooting licenses and give the aquaculture industry a “mandate to come up with measures to stop the killing of seals.”

Environmental laws in the balance

North of the border most eyes are currently on the Holyrood election, but in the past month the Tory-LibDem coalition at Westminster has signalled that it might scrap an area of legislation which currently protects wildlife, including laws relating to marine reserves. The online campaign site 38 degrees has initiated a petition urging people to speak up against the Government plans.

Nature of Scotland Awards

Most industries can't resist a bit of peer-to-peer back-patting and now there is even an annual awards ceremony for people and organisations working in the field of nature conservation. RSPB have launched the Nature of Scotland Awards, with six categories which includes a marine award. Most intriguingly there is a 'politician of the year award' which will be awarded to any elected representative who has made an outstanding contribution to nature conservation. With any luck, the same person will win the marine award too...

OVERSEAS NEWS

Send us your fishing stories

OCEAN2012's European fish week takes place from the 4th-12th June and its theme will focus on how our marine environment used to be healthier, how overfishing has changed this and how the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform is an opportunity to go Back to the Future. COAST is a member of OCEAN2012, an international coalition of organisations pushing for CFP reform. As part of this, we are keen to collect stories and evidence of the past richness of the Clyde and its fishing communities, so we can contribute to the campaign. Please get in touch at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 


Getting to grips with US fisheries management
Director of Federal Fisheries Policy in the Pew Environment Group, Lee Crockett is posting a number of interesting articles about US fisheries management. For an inside take on how they do it on the other side of the pond, read Overfishing 101.


Other news....
...from around our global shores includes Nutreco's investment in fish feed capacity, the IUCN calls for responsible fish-eating, delegates knock their heads together at the fifth international Marine Debris Conference and concerns continue to mount over bluefin tuna stocks.

SCIENCE

As part of a series of extended articles on aquaculture COAST supporter John Campbell pens a considered review of monitoring data contained in a recent Freedom of Information disclosure. The Monk and the Fish Farm makes sense of two years of correspondence and reporting related to the operation of The Scottish Fish Farm Company's fish farm in Lamlash Bay.

A few fishy facts folks should know

50% – Iceland's tourism revenue almost exactly halved in the 12 months following their resumption of commercial whaling in 128 - the number of pounds of fish eaten per capita in Japan, compared with a global average of 37.7 pounds
6 - the percentage of samples whcih contained fish species that were not listed on the food label in a study of 400 fish dishes sold by UK supermarkets
32.49m - the number of Japanese yen paid for a large bluefin tuna. The sum was a record for the Tsukiji market.

FISH OF THE MONTH

This left-eyed flatfish is an increasingly rare sight. It breeds in spring and releases pelagic eggs. Usually beige or sandy coloured, the Common topknot pictured below has a mottled peach and pink colouration, helping it to camouflage on the rocky seabed.




Latin name: Zeugopterus punctatus
Normal size: Approx 25cm long (adult)
Diet: Mainly small fish and crustaceans
Habitat: The common topknot is one of the few flatfish that inhabits only rocky areas of the sea. Using its fringe-like fins it can attach itself to vertical and even overhanging faces of boulders or rocky ledges.

THANKS

If you have enjoyed reading this newsletter and feel supportive of COAST, please get in touch. Like all community organisations, COAST's work depends on the efforts of a small group of dedicated volunteers. If you would like to offer any financial support, you can donate via the website. Alternatively feel free to contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Thank you for reading COAST’s 13th newsletter. We hope you are looking forward to the next month’s edition already.

Coming in the next newsletter:
- post-election analysis...
- A Clyde's eye view of European Fish Week