SEERAD turns a blind eye to marine regeneration as Minister of the Environment letter offers nothing new.
After a year of deep thought, Ross Finnie MSP, Minister of Environment and Rural Affairs Department (ERAD), has finally responded to the COAST proposal.
The letter offers absolutely nothing new, as his and ERAD’s position on any form of trial for marine regeneration has not changed, this is confirmation that this letter could easily have been written over a year ago.
To avoid making any difficult management decision the Executive, suggests that COAST attempt a voluntary agreement with all the users of Lamlash Bay. They do not say how this is to be achieved, presumably because at present the entire population of the United Kingdom has a right to fish in the Bay. All the fisherman, scientists, anglers and divers COAST has interviewed say the same thing, that a voluntary agreement will just not work. There are no examples in Scottish waters of a voluntary trial of marine regeneration that works, in spite of this fact COAST is asked to achieve a task that SEERAD itself cannot perform. This suggestion will only stall and further delay any form of marine protection for many years, or until it will be imposed by European Union Law in 2012.
The Minister and his Department seem unable and unwilling to consider more than one thing at a time. The concept of implementing the COAST Trial while discussions are carried out regarding new forms of alternative marine management measures, seem to be more than they can consider.
It is now obvious that the Minister is not prepared to consider the local community or the local stakeholders’ views or consider any remedial action in the Firth of Clyde for the foreseeable future. This will result in a tragic loss of possible information that could help Inshore Fishery Groups make future decisions to first halt the decline and then reverse the demise of marine stocks within the Clyde, for the future.
Update : 6/08/06