April 19, 2023

Salmon Scotland says government's HPMA plan affects jobs

Salmon Scotland has urged the Scottish government to reconsider plans to implement "Highly Protected Marine Areas" (HPMA) that would not allow commercial activity in 10% of Scottish waters, Fish Farmer Magazine reported.

Salmon Scotland, an industry organisation that represents the country's salmon producers and the industry's supply chain, said the government should prioritise jobs over politics.

Most forms of human activity, including aquaculture, fishing, and offshore energy, would be prohibited in 10% of Scottish coastal waters under HPMA. The Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Scottish Greens agreed to bring in HPMA as part of the Bute House Agreement, which effectively underpins the current ruling coalition in the Scottish Parliament.

The consultation period on the HPMA proposals, which have been met with opposition from the fishing industry, coastal communities, and even some SNP politicians, has ended.

Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said HPMA will result in significant job losses in some of the country's most vulnerable coastal communities, as well as harm the Scottish Government's own blue economy approach, which promotes long-term economic growth.

He said that the HPMA plans would put Scottish salmon producers at a disadvantage in comparison to their Scandinavian competitors,

Scott said there is also no evidence that aquaculture cannot coexist within HPMA as it does in marine protected areas, adding that HPMA have been developed in isolation and clash with existing government policies such as the national marine plan, the aquaculture vision, trade and economic policy, economic policy, and local authority marine development plans.

One-third of all salmon farms are already located in marine protected areas (MPAs), which cover 37% of Scottish waters. Many of those MPAs were established after the farms were already in place.

-      Fish Farmer Magazine