COMMUNITY OF ARRAN SEABED TRUST ANNUAL REPORT
ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH COAST 2008-2009

WITHIN ARRAN:

Clauchlands Finfish Application: researched EIA, planning laws, lobbied, spoke at planning meeting, opposed on grounds of incomplete science and damage to NTZ. Application ref
Clauchlands Finfish Appeal- did research on the currents in the Bay showing how the waste (up to 200 dry tonnes waste per year) from the farm would enter it. Contrary to Marine Harvest’s EIA. COAST ensuring the best quality water and marine environment in Lamlash Bay. Attended Recorder’s site inspection. Appeal rejected.

St Molios Finfish farm- application to SEPA to enlarge and increase discharge by 66%. Examined the proposal, under FOI Act found incidences of disease and death, able to show currents would deposit waste in bay. Extension refused.

Regular meetings & e-mails with Kenneth Gibson MSP on both the Scottish Marine Bill & progressing the rest of the COAST proposals.

Arran Wildlife Festival, organised walks, talks, and ran a stall. Involved directly with over 150 visitors over 2 weeks. Showed The Bay DVD to every primary school children on the Island.

Invitation to and involvement with MCS to give a roadshow on the marine environment and our NTZ to all primary schools on the island over 2 days.

Stall at Arran Agricultural Show (courtesy of SNH) information, education, recruitment of members
Arran Outdoor Festival- 2 day long walks, talks, beach visits.

Talks to groups of primary pupils from mainland Ayrshire, at Arran Outdoor Centre
Liaison with Community Council re. Finfish Application
Summer weekly talks on natural history, COAST and environmental sustainability at Auchrannie Hotel
Beach walks to introduce local children and adults to the No Take Zone and shore life.
Two trips to do presentations aboard youth training yacht  in the Bay with young people, and showing films to Duke of Edinburgh Award students from South Ayrshire
Development of leaflets, handouts for the public. One to every household on Arran and constantly updated, and kept in public places for information.
Development of COAST souvenirs with local designers.
Erection of COAST banners in Tourist Office.
Erection of No Take Zone Notices in 4 places in Lamlash & 1 on Holy Isle. Large stones moved for support bases. A great success judging by the public comments so far, with one exception.
Committee member participation in a stall on the Ferry to-and fro Ardrossan to Brodick.
Articles for local press, both Arran Voice and Arran Banner
www.arrancoast.co.uk website upgraded and continuously updated with news
COAST’s DVD The Bay &“Caught in Time” continues to sell well, both to visitors to Arran and educational establishments. COAST makes a point of including them when we are trying to help individuals MSPs in Edinburgh understand the importance of conservation (for example re. the Scottish Marine Bill)
Fundraising, through DVDs, merchandising, ceilidh, calendars.
Ongoing SEASEARCH training divers new to the research and recording methods, and doing additional recording work in the bay .
Assist SNH & FRS in local contacts & help during 3 surveys of the NTZ & surrounding area.
Development of educational materials for use in schools and colleges.




OUTWITH ARRAN:

BBC Country File- John Craven’s piece on the NTZ, marine conservation and sustainability
Marine Bill Westminster- attended discussion and input on UK Marine Bill Committee stage.
Meet with & e-mail Katy Clark MP on how we can improve UK marine Bill.
COAST praised by Katy & the Minister in the House of Commons during Marine Bill debate Oct 09
The Observer Ethical Awards for Conservation. Winner June 2008- prize presented in London to Tom Vella-Boyle by Annie Lennox. Invited to attend to the London award ceremony this year.
Conference on the Scottish Marine Bill at Ayr. Input on the need for community stakeholder involvement.
York University Conference on Sustainability and NTZs. Presented paper on Lamlash
Clyde Forum- input on SSMEI development for the Clyde and again emphasising the need for NTZs, MPAs and community stakeholder engagement
Attended Oslo AGM Marine Harvest with Pure Salmon Campaign. Spoke at AGM and asked question on sustainability, sealice and chemicals. 
RSPCA re. Freedom Fish and sustainability. Discussions with RSPCA on lack of ecosystem consideration in their standards
Discussions with The Crown Estate re. leases for finfish salmon farms.
Attendance at The Crown Estate Seminar in London “Delivering Sustainability in the Marine and Coastal Environment”. Again raising the profile of environmental sustainability and not just economic sustainability
Aquaculture Dialogue participation in 2 day seminar in Edinburgh to discuss standards for finfish salmon farming, which included ecosystem, food, and chemicals.
Meetings with Clyde Fishermen’s Association to discuss Lamlash Bay NTZ, Implementation
Contacts with Scottish Sea Anglers Association, sharing research on the Clyde, value of sea angling to tourism
Contacts with Marine Conservation Society, re Seasearch & Marine Bill
SEASEARCH liaison with MCS, attending their seminars, marine week at Holyrood
Attendance at 2008 Divers Conference in Oban. Gave 3 presentations about COAST project.
Attendance at Holyrood debate on marine environment and attendance at meetings/reception over 2 days on Marine Conservation
Articles for newspapers and journals re. NTZ and fish farms.
Interviews for Scottish radio, Westsound BBC Scotland, Radio 4 etc. re. COAST and NTZ
Children’s BBC film with COAST divers in Lamlash Bay showing children specimens from the seabed
Chaired the showing in GFT Glasgow on 9 June 2009 of “The End of the Line” and chaired discussion afterwards on the state of the Clyde with fishermen & Calum Duncan MCS
Answering many requests for information and assistance to encourage more Marine Protected Areas and NTZs in the UK
Discuss with other Scottish Communities (Fair Isle, Hebridean Partnership, St Catharine’s & Loch Striven. Common problems & solutions.
Assisted Loch Striven estate re. Their hope for MPAs. Meeting & discussions in London
Assist St Catherine’s Community council Loch Fyne , Their hope for a No mobile fishing Zone.
Support The Hebridean Partnership in their Campaign to stop the reintroduction of tangle nets to a SAC
Discussions with University of York re. Marine Stewardship Council Certification and mutual concerns over certification without looking at wider ecosystems damage.
Howard Wood, COAST chair, voted no 2 in Scotland (of 350 entries) “Working for a Sustainable Scotland” summer 2009 Scotsman newspaper
Liaison with SNH and NGOs re. environment, SSSIs, ecosystem management
Liaison with Marine Scientific Community- Millport (University of London), York University, UK MBA, SAMS (Scottish Association of Marine Science, based in Oban)
Assist Ruth Brennan Research Assistant Centre for Coastal and Oceans Governance, The Scottish Association for Marine Science. Who was gathering together lessons on relevant good practice towards development process in the new Marine Bill.
Meetings with Robin Harper MSP & his researchers to discuss Marine Bill.


THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT:

Scottish Marine Bill
COAST invited on 9th September to give oral evidence to the RAE Parliamentary committee on the Scottish Marine Bill
Our MSP Kenneth Gibson accompanies COAST in a meeting with Cephas Ralph depute director Marine Scotland.
Short meeting with Cab-Sec on 9th September to discuss lack of progress with full proposals.
No Take Zone Meetings with civil servants, MSPs
Meeting  January 2008 with Richard Lockhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment
Meetings re. Scottish Sustainable Marine Environment Inititative for the Clyde (SSMEI)
Meetings re. Implementation of the No Take Zone and further the Marine Protected Area for Lamlash Bay
Discussions with Clyde Forum, Marine Scotland re. Information Boards for NTZ in Lamlash
Discussions on public Right to Fish and legal activities with Government Lawyers
Discussions with Implementation groups with regards to erection of” Line of Sight” markers

WRITTEN RESPONSES:
To Local Authority re.Marine Harvest Planning Application at Clauchlands, Lamlash. 
To Reporter for the Appeal: re. Marine Harvest planning appeal for Clauchlands finfish salmon farm
To Moody Marine Ltd re. Marine Stewarship Council Certification for Nephrops fishery NW Scotland
To RSPCA re. standards for Freedom Fish branding
To SEPA re. expansion, by 66% increase in biomass of St Molios fish farm in Lamlash Bay.
To Marine Scotland re. the fishery commons and illegitimacy of Inshore Fisheries Groups (IFGs) to manage fisheries in Scotland.  Paper on The Public Right to fish, and the government role in holding fisheries for the public.
To Marine Scotland re. IFGs and their role in MPAs.
To SSMEI Clyde re. Draft report
To Scottish Government re. Scottish Marine Bill as Introduced
To Rural affairs & Environment Committee of Scot’ Parl’ on Marine bill first response June 2009
Provide supplementary evidence to RAEC in September along with 8 copied of End of the Line & 8 Copies of COASTs Caught in Time DVDs
Paper for Marine Protected Areas website (funded by Marine Biological Association): COAST Experience: Key Steps in establishing a No Take Zone
On future of the Common Fisheries Policy , in conjunction with T Appleby, Fair Isle , Hebridean Partnership & scottish sea anglers conservation network