Scottish Government Consultation on Highly Protected Marine Areas

[dunedin]

Anybody studied these proposals in detail and/or responded to the formal Consultation (closes 17th April) - Highly Protected Marine Areas: consultation

In general most boat peope would be in favour of sensible protection of the waters round our coasts.

Most of the publicity has been around the proposals to prevent fishing (even recreational line anglers) in the proposed new HPMA's - which are as yet undefined in location but aimed at covering 10% of Scottish waters (and effectively 6% of UK waters)

However, as key criteria are also protection of "Blue Carbon" - which inc;ludes seagrass and even some mud deposits on the seabed - it could have major implications for anchoring in any areas defined as an HPMA.

 

[afterpegassus]

Anybody studied these proposals in detail and/or responded to the formal Consultation (closes 17th April) - Highly Protected Marine Areas: consultation

In general most boat peope would be in favour of sensible protection of the waters round our coasts.

Most of the publicity has been around the proposals to prevent fishing (even recreational line anglers) in the proposed new HPMA's - which are as yet undefined in location but aimed at covering 10% of Scottish waters (and effectively 6% of UK waters)

However, as key criteria are also protection of "Blue Carbon" - which inc;ludes seagrass and even some mud deposits on the seabed - it could have major implications for anchoring in any areas defined as an HPMA.

I haven't studied the proposals but from what I've read, they will have an enormous negative impact on fragile coastal communities especially in NW Scotland.
Proposals such as these usually come from those least affected.

 

[KeithMD]

Apologies if I'm being slow-witted tonight - I had a look at that link and several pages therein.
Highly Protected Marine Areas: consultation

But I could not find any map or even a list of the proposed areas.
Anyone else been more successful?

 

[dunedin]

Apologies if I'm being slow-witted tonight - I had a look at that link and several pages therein.
Highly Protected Marine Areas: consultation

But I could not find any map or even a list of the proposed areas.
Anyone else been more successful?

Not specified the locations yet - but setting out the general criteria to be used for selection the locations, and the principles of how they can be managed (including giving rights to prohibit things).
Once got the powers they then start to define the locations and the rules.

 

[penfold]

A better result could be had by binning off all the purple prose and replace with reinstating the 3 mile limit and enforcing it strictly.

 

[KeithMD]

Hmm - I am in favour of Marine Conservation Zones - but something seems "not quite right" about granting powers before we know what the rules will be. But that does seem to be a bureaucratic-favoured approach.

 

[NorthUp]

It's the most atrocious attempt at a consultation document I have ever attempted to read. So much is either vague or just plain not stated, as said above even charts of the proposed areas are hidden from the people most affected.
The SNP hold power in the Scottish Parliament only because of a pact with two green party msp's- this nonsense is the price people on the west coast and beyond will have to pay, sacrificed to the party machine.
BTY, it's not just 10% of Scottish waters, that's just the starting point!
Current affairs? Damn right !

 

[NorthUp]

PS, once the islands have been sorted in the New Clearances, we won't need any of those expensive ferries any more....

 

[ctva]

Called deflection…

 

[st599]

However, as key criteria are also protection of "Blue Carbon" - which inc;ludes seagrass and even some mud deposits on the seabed - it could have major implications for anchoring in any areas defined as an HPMA.

Carbon sequestration in saltmarsh, seagrass meadows and the like is a key feature of the UK's climate change policy: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PN-0651/POST-PN-0651.pdf

We've also just signed up to a legally binding treaty to convert 30% of our sea area to Highly Protected Marine Areas by 2030.

Luckily the RYA saw the light a few years ago and has been researching alternatives to anchoring.

 

[KeithMD]

We've also just signed up to a legally binding treaty to convert 30% of our sea area to Highly Protected Marine Areas by 2030.

Sounds like there's a lot of charts that will need updating.

 

[dunedin]

We've also just signed up to a legally binding treaty to convert 30% of our sea area to Highly Protected Marine Areas by 2030..

Any link to a source for that ? I had seen in the Scottish consultation document a reference to an EU target (yes that may not be popular with UK Govt who control Scottish waters from 12 miles outwards) of 10% of waters in HPMA, which is a heck of a lot of sea, but not 30% which is a humongous amount of sea.
And apparently over 60% of UK waters are apparently adjacent to Scotland (not use the term Scottish waters to avoid current affairs). Of course could just allocate the 10% to be a chunk of our territorial waters west of the Outer Hebrides to tick the box, but that is probably not the plan.

 

[dunedin]

Carbon sequestration in saltmarsh, seagrass meadows and the like is a key feature of the UK's climate change policy: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PN-0651/POST-PN-0651.pdf

We've also just signed up to a legally binding treaty to convert 30% of our sea area to Highly Protected Marine Areas by 2030.

Luckily the RYA saw the light a few years ago and has been researching alternatives to anchoring.

Yes eco moorings are a great area to research, test and deploy - and good on RYA for supporting these trials.

They are potentially a good alternative to current visitor moorings in many places. But they are hardly an alternative to “anchoring”, certainly in most of Scotland hundreds of occasionally used anchorages.
Places like Studland Bay (controversy alert) have many more boats, and eco moorings can be viable. Possibly also places like Lamlash, Millport etc.
But the costs of laying and maintaining eco moorings are unlikely to be viable for the many community run visitor moorings in remote places with a handful of users each year. And would you expect the hundreds of occasional anchorages to have permanent eco moorings installed? By whom, who pays, and would these not be unsightly and environmentally disruptive compared to perhaps 10-20 uses of an anchor per season?

 

[st599]

Any link to a source for that ? I had seen in the Scottish consultation document a reference to an EU target (yes that may not be popular with UK Govt who control Scottish waters from 12 miles outwards) of 10% of waters in HPMA, which is a heck of a lot of sea, but not 30% which is a humongous amount of sea.
And apparently over 60% of UK waters are apparently adjacent to Scotland (not use the term Scottish waters to avoid current affairs). Of course could just allocate the 10% to be a chunk of our territorial waters west of the Outer Hebrides to tick the box, but that is probably not the plan.

30 by 30 - Wikipedia
Ten countries join UK's leading 30by30 initiative to safeguard the world’s ocean - Defra in the media
Defra announces Highly Protected Marine Areas to be designated in English waters - Defra in the media

 

[dunedin]

30 by 30 - Wikipedia
Ten countries join UK's leading 30by30 initiative to safeguard the world’s ocean - Defra in the media
Defra announces Highly Protected Marine Areas to be designated in English waters - Defra in the media

Interesting thanks. I am no expert on these matters, but I wonder if there is an important difference between MPA (Marine Protected Area) and HPMA (Highly Protected Marine Area).
The first two of your links relate to the lower level MPAs and the 30% target. And many are already established, in Scotland and elsewhere.
The third link relates to the first proposed HPMAs in UK waters - as does the Scottish consultation - which are likely to be more restricted, and also less than 30% of waters.
Useful

 

[cpedw]

WHAM is involved in the Scottish government consultation and is engaging with other interested parties. WHAM's concerns so far include restricted anchoring in both popular areas and remote anchorages, requiring moorings to be moved, negative PR around freedom to sail in Scottish waters and effect on chartering, recreational fishing and how HPMAs will be policed and monitored.
It's recognised that the low pollution level and associated abundant wildlife are attractive features in many areas and HPMAs can enhance that.
Local fishermen are very concerned but I won't miss scallop dredgers.

 

[penfold]

Carbon sequestration in saltmarsh, seagrass meadows and the like is a key feature of the UK's climate change policy: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PN-0651/POST-PN-0651.pdf

We've also just signed up to a legally binding treaty to convert 30% of our sea area to Highly Protected Marine Areas by 2030.

Luckily the RYA saw the light a few years ago and has been researching alternatives to anchoring.

Utterly hollow posturing unless accompanied by millions to fund surveillance; the area to be policed is vast, those writing this stuff are either ignorant of this or so cynical they know it will never be enforced properly.

 

[KeithMD]

Utterly hollow posturing unless accompanied by millions to fund surveillance; the area to be policed is vast, those writing this stuff are either ignorant of this or so cynical they know it will never be enforced properly.

Sounds familiar.
Call me cynical, but one additional scenario has just occured to me:
Extra funding will now be required to expand the Scottish Navy / HPMA Monitoring Service.
To be paid for by extra licensing / fees to enter these HPMA.

 

[SaltyC]

Utterly hollow posturing unless accompanied by millions to fund surveillance; the area to be policed is vast, those writing this stuff are either ignorant of this or so cynical they know it will never be enforced properly.















Once again cynical. The overpaid under utilised public sector looking to justify their job. We have to do something this is something. We can look at Red Diesel - we want to enforce impractical restrictions. OOOPS failed! We want to stop producing paper charts, everyone uses 'not for Navigation ' electronic charts - Ooops didn't realise the problems playing games on my I pad!



At what point are we going to get meaningful consultation?



The West Coast of Scotland has fantastic anchorages, marine tourism with minimal environmental impact brings in a lot of revenue.

Do they want to drive it away??

 

[penfold]

At what point are we going to get meaningful consultation?

The West Coast of Scotland has fantastic anchorages, marine tourism with minimal environmental impact brings in a lot of revenue.

Do they want to drive it away??

Govt has presided over untold and unmeasured damage to island economies due to their inability to manage ferries, squandered hundreds of millions on a mad ticket subsidy scheme and a farcical failure to build ferries despite repeated warnings from the people who live on the islands and subject matter experts; the relatively small number of people who enjoy messing about in boats are not on the radar, nor are the businesses which derive income from them.