Energy / Fishing federation calls for moratorium on offshore wind consents
First minister John Swinney gives his assurance that fishing concerns will be listened to
SCOTTISH fishing leaders have demanded an immediate stop to further offshore wind farm consents.
Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) chief executive Elspeth Macdonald has repeated the long-held message that offshore wind development could have “significant and long-term negative impacts” on the industry.
In response, Scottish first minister John Swinney gave his assurance that concerns from the fishing industry will be heard.
The SFF’s call for a moratorium is included within its response to two Scottish Government consultations on offshore wind.
Offshore wind developments, like two proposed to the east of Shetland through the Scottish Government-backed ScotWind process, have long drawn concern from fishermen over so-called “spatial squeeze” in traditional fishing grounds from turbines and cabling.
The ScotWind leasing round resulted in 20 projects securing seabed option agreements, with the Scottish Government saying it has delivered over £750 million in revenues to the public purse in initial option fees.
Speaking about the SFF’s consultation responses, Macdonald said: “This isn’t a plan – it’s a stampede. The government is charging ahead without the faintest idea how to protect the people and places that will be trampled in the rush.
“We’ve been telling them for years these plans will seriously damage our industry, but they haven’t listened. Now their own assessments show the harm that will be done to fishing, and the environment on which it depends.
“Until they can prove our industry and our seas will be safeguarded, the only responsible choice is to slam on the brakes.”
The SFF also said current mitigation measures are “either non-existent or useless beyond tiny pockets of sea”.
The organisation also claimed there is “no credible plan to compensate fishing businesses for the losses they will face”.
“Fishing is one of Scotland’s original green industries,” Macdonald added.
“The Scottish fleet has been putting healthy, renewable and sustainable food on plates for generations.
“But we’re being shoved aside for projects that feel like a last gamble for a government to revive an ailing Scottish economy.”
Photo: Scottish Government
SFF also pointed to “serious environmental consequences” from offshore wind development, with studies suggesting harm to protected habitats and species.
Speaking in Scalloway – one of Shetland’s fishing ports – on Thursday, Swinney said in response that the concerns of the industry will be heard by government.
“I’m aware of the concerns of the fishermen’s federation and we obviously engage closely with fishing interests about all of the different questions that are involved,” he told Shetland News.
“We have to make sure that all of the perspectives of the fishing industry are taken into account as we take forward all of the decision making.”
When asked about concerns from some in the industry that they feel they are not being listened to, the first minister said: “I can assure you they will be listened to”.
“That’s part of the whole purpose of the dialogue that is underway just now,” he added, “to make sure that we understand and appreciate all of the issues and perspectives in the fishing industry, and that dialogue will be ongoing to make sure that we take due account of fishing interests and issues as part of the process we go through.”
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