Recreational sea angling interests are rightly insisting on a voice. The Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network (SSACN) has been given the opportunity to put evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Environment committee on the Marine Scotland Bill.

It is to present its views on the Bill as part of a panel of representatives from the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, Scottish Environment Link, the Scottish Salmon Producers Association. and the Scottish Coastal Forum.

While SSACN feels that such a Bill is essential to address today’s challenges in marine management, its view is that any legislative and operational frameworks must be sensible, proportionate, underpinned by scientific assessment and to the benefit of all stakeholders and not just the interests of dominant commercial activities.

In saying that it feels that any measures will need to be structured ‘to meet today’s demands and not be rooted in the past’, it is sending a thinly coded message that recreational sea angling is now a force to be reckoned with as an economic driver in a way that was not previously the case.

SSACN is also concerned that some of the current proposals are too vague. In this it cites proposals on the make-up, membership and powers of the Scottish Marine Regions (SMRs), their relationship with other bodies, such as Inshore Fishery Groups (IFGs) and Scottish Sustainable Marine Environment Initiative groups (SSMEIs). THe problem with both of these groups is that they are both quangos with no legislative capacities.

IFGs have a membership restricted to the commercial sector and their purpose is basically to ensure sustainable stocks. They are also very new, having just got started after many years of false starts, so their track record can hardly lend them authority or inspire confidence.

SSACN is concerned to be reassured that such groups as IFGs and SSMEIs will take into account and be representative of all local interests and recreational users of the marine environment.

As a body concerned wiht sea anglig, SSACN would like to see the Bill recognise that specific management practices are required for the stocks of interest to sea anglers; and that such management should be undertaken in a truly inclusive, open and transparent manner which focuses on regeneration.

Were this to be the case, SSACN believes that Scotland could once again become a premier European sea angling destination, in turn allowing the regeneration of some of the hundreds of jobs lost in dependent businesses and communities.

SSACN responded to the original request for input in September 2008 – available on its website here – and will be providing additional written evidence on this occasion – to be added to the site when complete.

For Argyll is interested in the extent to which the important and growing market sector of recreational sea angling is involved in this process and is consulting the views of the range of bodies particiopating in this consultation process.

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