The subject of marine protections has become a hot topic. Coastal communities are rightly proud of their fishing heritage and are keen to maintain a way of life integral to fragile rural economies. There is also clear evidence that our seas are in trouble and that giving parts of the marine environment a breather from human activities will help fish stocks and other wildlife recover.
Can we find a way forward? Well, we must, because it’s in all our interests.
Image credit: Chantal Macleod-Nolan
Uncertainty over marine protections
The current uncertainty is due to not knowing where proposed ‘highly protected marine areas’ will be put in place. But it’s worth noting that the timescale for designating sites is 2026, so changes won’t happen overnight.
It’s also worth noting that these protections will have to be fairly shared around our seas; an effective network would be spread around - north, south, east and west, across both inshore and offshore waters - and would be designed to support nature, climate and people.
The Scottish Government has acknowledged that for these schemes to work they will need to be agreed with the communities they affect. It’s good to see Mairi McAllan, the Net Zero Secretary, planning a listening tour of coastal towns and villages this summer.
A community-led approach
Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran is a great example of a community-led no-take zone where fish and other marine wildlife has blossomed after years of decline. The ‘spillover effect’ means those fishing in nearby waters have enjoyed the benefits. It really has been a win-win.
Arran sits in the Firth of Clyde, previously once one of the most productive fishing grounds in Europe. Decades of poor management and unsustainable fishing practices led to a collapse in biodiversity and fisheries. Concerned residents formed the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) in 1995 and after 13 years of campaigning, secured Scotland’s first no-take zone in 2008. Since then, biodiversity has boomed with bigger and better numbers of commercially important species such as scallop and lobster.
Arran’s conservation success has been recognised internationally. Indeed, it recently featured in the BBC TV series Wild Isles with David Attenborough. Cameraman Doug Anderson, who filmed most of the ocean episode, explained how his first underwater experience was in Lamlash Bay, and how he was “blown away by the wildness of it”.
Doug went on to say: “The way to get British seas back is to allow large areas to return to a natural state and maintain those very highly protected areas for a long time.”
The experience of Lamlash Bay is replicated around the world. Analysis of 24 no-take zones in the Mediterranean Sea demonstrated more and bigger fish. The success of the no-take zone of Carry-le-Rouet in the French Mediterranean led to the fishing industry helping establish a second zone nearby.
Image credit: Ben Andrew
How they would work
The approach taken in Lamlash Bay is one way forward. There is also potentially a role for local authorities who already have responsibilities for ports and harbours, not to mention biodiversity. With extra resources, local authorities could be supported to help communities develop potential areas drawing on local expertise and applying scientific advice about the species and habitats most at risk.
At the core of HPMAs is protecting some of the best bits of our seas from damaging activities - things that remove or impact struggling wildlife or habitats - and instead let them recover and thrive. From an RSPB Scotland point of view, we think it will be important to allow all users to have their say and for well-informed constructive conversations to be had on what HPMAs really are, are not and how they can play a vital role in the future health of not only our seas but our coastal communities. Much is to be gained by improving the health of our seas and we believe that if the positives that have been experienced from elsewhere can be shared, this will benefit us as an island nation.
Why do we need marine protections?
We mustn’t lose sight of why we are talking about this issue. Our marine wildlife is in trouble. From whales and dolphins to sharks and seabirds, Scotland’s species are being hit with multiple pressures. Industrial practices, coupled with climate change, are creating what the UN has already called an ‘Ocean Emergency’.
In the UK, the framework we use to monitor the health of our seas looks at a range of factors such as biodiversity and sea-floor integrity. Sadly, on most counts our seas are rated as failing. Scotland’s Marine Assessment 2020 identified climate change, seabed-contacting and open water towed fishing activities as the key pressures facing marine biodiversity. Getting our seas back to good health is essential for communities who rely on fishing and wildlife tourism.
The idea of giving ‘highly protected’ status to ten per cent of our seas is in line with international recommendations and aligns with the EU target. Of course, protected areas are not a solution on their own. It is only by integrating them into well planned wider management of our seas that we will succeed. As the Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation recently pointed out: “No one in their right mind should support HPMA proposals in absence of wider fisheries management measures.” The current debate is an opportunity to get things right.
And then there’s the climate aspect – our seas help regulate the Earth’s atmosphere, including through carbon sequestration. ‘Blue carbon’ is stored in living material, such as animals and plants, and non-living material, such as shells, sediments and skeletons. In Scotland, the carbon stored in the top 10 cm of the seabed is about 18 times larger than the carbon stored in either our forests or the top 10 cm of our peatland. Protecting our seas is vital in the fight against climate change.
Image credit: Rosemary Despres
Public support
Marine protections have broad public support. Earlier this year, thousands of people responded to Scottish Environment LINK’s call to send positive comments to the government consultation. 2020 opinion polling, also by LINK, showed 79% of people across Scotland were in favour of protections.
Added to that, the recently published People’s Plan for Nature, created by a citizens’ assembly, called for the establishment of marine national parks comprising no-take zones where wildlife can recover, with the aim of supporting sustainable fisheries and with communities involved to ensure local benefits.
Next steps
The Scottish Government will be listening to communities over the summer, as an analysis is compiled of the responses to its earlier consultation. Altogether this should give ministers food for thought on how to deliver marine protections while addressing concerns.
At RSPB Scotland, we look after 77 nature reserves, from Unst at the north end of Shetland to Scotland’s most southerly point, the Mull of Galloway. Our staff and volunteers live and work in coastal and island communities, protecting the local wildlife and habitats that make these places so special.
Our understanding of Scotland’s seas, and our coastal communities, is what drives our determination on this issue.
With a community-led approach, a geographical spread, and flexible management, we can deliver a healthy future for all.
Header image shows Guillemots and Razorbills underwater, seeking out fish. Credit: Aidan McCormick.