Marine / Robinson raises concern over highly protected marine areas proposal
A SENIOR councillor has described a proposal for highly protected marine areas (HPMA) around Scotland’s coastline as “potentially devastating”.
Shetland Islands Council depute leader Gary Robinson said the Scottish Government’s aim to see at least 10 per cent of Scottish waters designated as HPMAs by 2026 “strikes at the heart of everything that makes Shetland the vibrant, social and economic place that it is”.
On Monday, Robinson sought assurances that the council would submit a “robust response” to the government’s current consultation on the proposal.
Reflecting deep-running concerns in both the fishing and the aquaculture industries, Robinson said local industries were already losing out in the competing interests for Scotland’s seas.
“Traditional industries like fishing and aquaculture are already feeling the squeeze between existing protected areas and an expanding renewables sector,” he said.
“However, these new proposals could impact on developments from the spaceport to carbon capture and storage, and from seaweed harvesting to subsea cables.
“Even the humble ‘eela’ isn’t safe from the proposed legislation.
“It’s essential that the council makes a strong representation against the imposition of highly protected marine areas around Shetland.
“A thorough and meaningful island communities impact assessment must be conducted if any aspect of these is to be taken forward.”
During a meeting of the development committee on Monday, the council’s director of development Neil Grant said his team was consulting industry and was pulling together a response.
Committee chair Dennis Leask said a motion on the issue of HPMAs would be presented to the full council on Wednesday.
Meanwhile the deadline for responses to the government’s consultation has been extended to 17 April.
The consultation documents are available here.
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