A Scotland Office minister has praised the no-take zone around Lamlash Bay in Arran, signalling a potential way forward for consensus on marine protection after HPMA proposals were scrapped
Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer and Scotland Office minister John Lamont are united in praising the Lamlash no-take zoneonce hailed as a model for deeply controversial fishing ban plans – in a sign consensus could yet be built on the contentious proposals.
The Scottish Greens had previously held up the Arran no-take zone, where virtually all commercial fishing other than creeling and hand-diving for scallops is banned, as a model to aspire to in the ambition to create HPMAs all over the Scottish coast.Speaking after his visit, which formed part of a tour of the west of Scotland last week, Lamont told the Sunday National: “It was fascinating to visit Coast and go aboard their new research vessel.
She contrasted this with the top-down approach from the Scottish Government which appears to have spooked the fishing industry. “I don’t think they can be successful without that or they could be implemented with loads of negativity from the community.”One of the key advantages of the Coast project has been its ability to boast of the economic benefits of the scheme.
“We have a lot more marine tourism like diving and snorkelling happening and that’s happening because of the spatial management, we have loads of stand-up paddleboarders because they’re coming here and they can view loads of marine animals below, they can see whales and dolphins coming into the bay, they might see a glimpse of a basking shark.
The Coast director said: “We support industries that are using the marine environment sustainably like creeling and hand-diving scallops. "It shows what’s possible in a short period of time and the positive impact that no-take zones can have on our communities.
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