Argyll MP fears HPMA plan will 'accelerate depopulation crisis'

Argyll and Bute's MP is urging the First Minister to ditch plans to ban fishing in swathes of Scottish waters, saying it would have a "devastating impact" on the "future economic viability of our already economically fragile rural and island communities”.

 

Brendan O’Hara delivered the letter to First Minister Humza Yousaf on the day the Scottish Government closed its consultation on making 10 per cent of Scotland’s waters Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), where fishing and farming would be restricted to help declining marine species recover.

 

Mr O’Hara, the SNP group's chief whip in Westminster, said: “The loss of what remains of our fishing fleet would have an exponential impact on our economy, as the jobs of fish processors, boatyards, delivery drivers, administrators, marine engineers, and many others, whose livelihoods depend on the fishing industry would all disappear.

 

“The loss of these jobs, and the perceived lack of any future economic opportunities for our young people is guaranteed to drive families out of Argyll & Bute, and discourage others from coming, further accelerating what we know is an already critical depopulation crisis.

 

"Losing families will lead to the loss of schools and other vital services, which painful experience tells us that once they are gone, they are very, very difficult to bring back."

 

He said his opinion had been informed by "extensive consultation with skippers, industry bodies, processors, and community groups" over the Parliamentary Easter Recess, and what was communicated was "the overwhelming opinion of the people of Argyll and Bute".

 

Mr. O’Hara acknowledged the preservation of the marine ecosystem had to be a priority, but believed the current approach would lead to the region becoming “a retirement home for the wealthy and elderly who wish to see out their remaining years in their rural idyll”.

 

He urged the government to engage fully with the industry and harness local knowledge - accrued over decades - on how best to manage the seas off our West Coast.

 

He assured Mr Yousaf that, from his experience talking to the inshore fishing fleet, there exists “a genuine willingness to work together with the Scottish Government on a long term, sustainable solution, one which can help restore our marine ecosystem, while allowing the inshore fleet to look forward to a future for them, their children and their grandchildren”.

 

The new Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees Emma Roddick, speaking to The Oban Times as a Highlands and Islands SNP MSP, told us: "I have heard from some people who are excited about the legislation and want to see it taken forward.

 

"Very much similar people who spoke to me when I first got elected saying please make sure that MPAs (Marine Protected Areas) are functioning. Folk have heard stories about dredging happening in these places. I think that is what HPMAs are trying to achieve.

 

"I heard the First Minister say recently we are not going to force a highly protected marine area on a community that has told us it is not going to work for them."