Highland Council voices 'strong opposition' to Scottish Government Highly Protected Marine Area proposals echoing warning over local livelihoods
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HIGHLAND Council is voicing serious concerns about Scottish Government proposals to protect areas of the sea using Highly Protected Marine Areas (HMPA).
The proposals – which currently lack detail as to exactly where they might be located – have sparked outrage in a number of communities with livelihoods dependent on fishing and aquaculture and even inspired a protest song by Skipinnish with some opponents warning of another Highland Clearances.
Members of Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee will have the opportunity to discuss the local authority's recently submitted response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on Highly Protected Marine Areas.
READ ALSO: Warning of 'catastrophic damage' to coastal areas
In the response, the council has voiced its strong opposition to the HPMA proposals due to concerns over potential significant socio-economic impacts that proposals may result in.
Scottish Ministers have committed to designate at least 10 per cent of Scotland’s seas as Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), by 2026. These sites will provide high levels of protection by placing strict limits on some human activities, such as fishing and aquaculture, while allowing non-damaging recreational activities to take place at carefully managed levels.
A full response across the breadth and detail of the consultation was provided.
Chair of the committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: “The Highland Council recognises the need to take action in response to the biodiversity crisis, but we have serious concerns over the potential for unacceptable socio-economic impacts that the currently proposed HPMA policy framework may have especially on our fragile coastal communities.
“It is unclear to what extent Highland would be affected at present as no sites have yet been publicly identified. However, we have been contacted by aquaculture, commercial fishing sectors and local communities who have voiced their concerns over the proposals and how their livelihoods could be negatively impacted.
“Our response captures these valid points and draws attention to key concerns we have. We have stressed that we feel it is critical that full socio-economic considerations and robust community engagement must be embedded at an early point in the process.
"The suggested timelines appear far too short to allow proper evaluation to take or for all stakeholders to fully engage. We also believe that the 10% target needs clearer definition in relation to inshore and offshore regions.”
The consultation closed on Monday, April 17. At the Environment and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday, members will have the chance to discuss the topic further and then homologised the response that was submitted to meet the deadline.
Officer engagement with the HPMA process will continue and the committee will receive updates. The council is also encouraging businesses and community members to seek to engage directly with the Scottish Government on the proposals.
The council’s response can be viewed via this link to the agenda - https://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/4782/economy_and_infrastructure_committee (item 11)
