HPMA's U-TURN: SNP asked to confirm if this really is end of plans for HPMA's
· 08.11.2023 · 20:26:08 ··· MiTTwoch ···
The Scottish Sun The Scottish Government has confirmed controversial plans which would have restricted fishing in 10% of waters will not go ahead, with Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan saying that previously proposed highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) “will not be progressed”.
The fishing industry, which had been fiercely opposed to the proposals, welcomed her statement – with Conservatives hailing the decision as a “victory for our fishermen”.
Tory Jamie Halcro Johnson said: 'Not all are convinced that this really is the final death knell of HPMA's. So can I ask the cabinet secretary to confirm once and for all this really is the end for their plans for HPMA's and that something that looks suspiciously just like a re-branded version of them won't appear under a different guise at some point in the future?'
While 55% of all respondents who responded to a government consultation on HPMAs supported their introduction, a “large majority” of these responses came from a single campaign.
When campaign responses are removed from the consultation, 76% were opposed to HPMAs, with only a fifth (20%) backing their introduction.
SNP and Green ministers in the Scottish Government had previously outlined plans to give 10% of waters this designation, which would have placed strict limits on activities in such areas.
But after an outcry from fishing and coastal communities Ms McAllan said back in June that the government would no longer seek to implement the policy, and would instead develop a “new pathway and timetable” as part of efforts to make Scotland “nature-positive” by 2030.
In its response to the consultation, published on Tuesday, the government confirmed that “HPMAs will not be introduced in 10% of Scottish seas by 2026”.
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