The Marine (Scotland) Bill is gaining pace, currently it is racing through Stage 2 Amendments as it is being scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Environment Committee. The most up to date diary of events can be found here on the Scottish Parliament website.

ForArgyll has already covered the Stage 1 Section of the Marine Bill scrutiny and it appears that the influential commercial sectors are getting their way with the politicians. This is a sad and worrying development. The marine environment should not be seen as a boom or bust activity but one that is nurtured for our use and for the future.

Once again we see robust science being put aside in favour of profit and short term gain. The warning signs are there for anyone who is willing to look. We have already experienced the collapse of the Grand Banks cod fisheries. The North Sea is going the same way as the Clyde Herring Fleet and yet our elected politicians sit back and appease the commercial sectors with their vested interests.

There are two worrying lack of developments in the scrutiny process.

Failure to incorporate Highly Protected Marine Areas

The first is the failure to enable Highly Protected Marine Areas – Marine Reserves which incorporate ‘No-Take-Zones’ – as recommended by the 25th Report by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution – Turning the Tide. The Marine (Scotland) Bill allows for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) but these are as useful for the marine environment as soggy paper bags are for carrying loose tatties.

Dr Becky Boyd of Scottish Wildlife Trust/World Wildlife Fund for Nature, who was travelling home from Holyrood and the latest round of Stage 2 scrutiny said, ‘There are some excellent gains through Stage 2 so far, particularly the duty to create an ecologically coherent network of MPAs and delivery of environmental objectives by marine plans.

‘It is disappointing that there is no duty to protect and enhance the wider seas outside MPAs and that socio economics can be taken into account in designating MPAs. It is in everyone’s interests, fisheries and tourism alike, that this Bill results in healthy productive seas. Without that there is no future for the marine economy’.

Unnecessary but licensed seal shootings

The second most worrying section impacts on seals. As things stand, we may even find that any new developments have actually taken a turn backwards in time. Pregnant seals will be allowed to be shot under licence. It appears that seals will continue to be shot under licence from boats, unstable platforms and in any weather conditions.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act stipulates that animals cannot be shot from aircraft or moving vehicles, platforms arguably far more stable than a boat in a choppy sea and yet this loop-hole will remain in place under the current proposed legislation.

This has been seen as a mass sell-out by some. The Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament, if they carry on as is, will be responsible for the future collapse of our marine industries and all of the accompanying supporting structures that go hand in hand with them.

The antiquated Conservation of Seals Act dealt with ‘close seasons’, a relic from the 19th Century and yet the in new Marine Bill pregnant seals and dependant pups will be lucky to see an equivalent ‘closed’ period, a rest bite from being shot and/or harassed. There is to be no introduction of ‘harassment’ in the new Bill, even when seals are giving birth: that is not humane.

Libby Anderson from Advocates for Animals said, ‘We really hope that the Committee (Rural Affairs and Environment Committee) support all of the amendments aimed at giving seals better protection, and above all we must ensure that decent humane principles of the close season are preserved’.

One of the worries is that the RAE Committee will leave certain aspects of the Bill ‘open’ to future amendments. Libby Anderson had this to say, ‘We must not legislate now, and leave the details until later. We do not want to see female seals in an advanced state of pregnancy continue to be shot and dependant seal pups starved to death’.

Many countries like Northern Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand do not allow the killing of seals. Others, like some Scandinavian Countries, have strongly regulated legislation in place, even weather dependant criteria, so as to ensure a clean kill. If the Marine Bill goes through with the listed amendments Scotland will be put back into the Dark Ages.

Advocates for Animals’ campaign letter

Many MSPs are forwarding motions in an attempt to overturn the influence of the commercial industries, but time is short. Advocates for Animals have presented a short letter for people to sign and send into their local press and MSPs.

Here is the text of the letter to copy and paste.

Dear Letters Editor

‘In early December the Scottish Parliament’s Environment and Rural Affairs Committee will have a crucial discussion about the protection of seals. I fully support Advocates for Animals’ ‘LOOK OUT for SEALS’ campaign that is calling for a ban on shooting seals during their breeding seasons. It is unthinkable that pregnant seals could be shot or that newborn seal pups could be deprived of their mothers and left to starve to death. This is no way for animals to be treated in a civilised country. Shooting during breeding seasons is not allowed for many land mammals and seals deserve this same protection. I urge everyone to write to their MSPs and seek their assurance that they will back an amendment to the Marine (Scotland) Bill which will protect heavily pregnant seals and their newborn pups during their breeding seasons’.

Yours Sincerely, etc

As Environment Editor at For Argyll, I would recommend adding the following:

‘We urge the Scottish Parliament to consider enabling provision within the Marine (Scotland) Bill of real Marine Reserves (Marine Protected Areas; MPAs with regions that include No-Take-Zones).

‘If we fail to act we all share in the potential future destruction of our seas and their ability to supply future requirements of foods, medicines and very much more’.

Mark Carter, Environmental Editor

The photograph above, of a dead seal pup, is by copyright holder, Mark Carter.

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