Recreational Sea Angling
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S3M-1096, in the name of John Scott, on recreational sea angling. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes the economic and social importance of recreational sea angling to communities along the west coast and across Scotland; further notes that around 225,000 people participate in the sport annually with an average spend of £1,375 for boat anglers and £861 for shore anglers; recognises that most species of interest to sea anglers have limited commercial value and are returned alive to the sea, representing an excellent financial return for "Scotland plc"; affirms the extremely low environmental cost of recreational sea angling which is at the forefront of sustainable fishing and especially welcomes the Give Fish a Chance initiative from the Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network, encouraging anglers to keep only those fish which have reached breeding size; regrets the substantial decline of the sport and supporting industries, notably on the Firth of Clyde, due to a loss of stocks with a number of species becoming extinct locally or reduced to the point where only juvenile specimens are now being caught; notes with concern the critically endangered status of key species, such as common skate, porbeagle and spurdog, which bring sea anglers to Scotland, and considers that work between the Scottish Government, sea angling bodies and other relevant agencies should continue to ensure the conservation of key species and the continued growth of sea angling in Scotland.
I thank all the members who have signed my motion and especially those who have taken the trouble to stay for the debate. I welcome the various sea angling organisations that are represented in the public gallery and the other interested individuals who have joined us, many of whom attended the event in the Parliament at lunch time, for which thanks are especially due to Steve Bastiman, Ian Burrett and their colleagues from the Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network.
Before this begins to sound like an Oscar acceptance speech, I will turn to the subject. As my motion notes—and as we heard at lunch time today—recreational sea angling is hugely important to Scotland. It supports not only boat hire companies and tackle shops, but a plethora of other businesses such as hotels, cafes and pubs in often fragile coastal communities. As the motion states, an estimated 225,000 people participate in sea angling each year, not including the many tourists who also come to fish.
Research by Highlands and Islands Enterprise estimates that almost 80,000 United Kingdom residents visited the Highlands in 2003 to take part in sea angling, which it says supports more than 400 full-time equivalent jobs. Furthermore, Scottish Natural Heritage has suggested that boat anglers spend an average £1,375 each and that the equivalent figure for shore anglers is a not inconsiderable £861. As to the overall economic value of the sector, we await the Glasgow Caledonian University study with interest—indeed, with bated breath. It is worth noting that a similar study that was published by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs calculated the total worth of the sector in England and Wales to be a possible £1.3 billion.
Despite its significance to many of the communities that we represent—including those in my constituency—angling is, I believe, a subject that has been surprisingly overlooked by politicians. As the Scottish Estates Business Group has said,
"Scotland still has considerable opportunities to develop sea fishing which remain largely untapped",
yet I cannot recall a debate on recreational fishing in my eight years in Parliament. I am glad that we have been able to put that right with two events today. I hope, however, that the debate will not end here. I urge the minister to consider whether a full debate on the subject might be possible when the economic impact study is eventually published, later this year.
As the minister knows, I asked recently whether the Government intends to develop a sea angling strategy. He replied that the starting point must be the forthcoming study. I wonder whether, in his closing remarks, he will confirm whether the strategy forms part of his plans. Governments of all colours are good at publishing strategies, but not always to great effect. It may be that an alternative course is open to us. Either way, I trust that the minister will touch on how the Government might take things forward from here.
Recreational sea angling is an activity that we should all welcome, not simply because of its economic importance but because it represents the ultimate in sustainable, environmentally sound fishing. It causes no damage to the seabed and the number of fish that are taken bears no threat to the viability of stocks. Indeed, the sea angling community needs take a back seat to no one in its approach to conservation and is actively promoting minimum catch sizes to ensure that fish that are yet to breed are returned to the water.
In the light of the sea angling community's commitment to conservation, it is especially troubling—to all of us, I trust—that many of the species that are of interest to anglers and were once regarded as abundant are either extinct locally or reduced to the point at which only juvenile specimens are being landed. For example, in days gone by, the European cod festival was held on the Clyde on more than one occasion. The idea that such an event should be held there today would be laughable if the matter were not so serious.
Many of the sea angling tourists who come to Scotland do so to fish for some of our most spectacular species, for example—in your constituency, Presiding Officer—the enormous and erroneously named common skate, which is caught each year off the west coast. There is one particular fish that I know for a fact has been caught eight times.
It enjoys it.
It must enjoy it. It is doing its bit for Scotland and its contribution to the local economy has been calculated to be in the region of £6,000. It is better living than dead. However, as a species, the common skate is in great danger.
The reasons for the decline are varied, although poor fisheries management over many decades has undoubtedly played a significant role. It is little short of tragic that, following the most recent round of fishing talks, some 20 tonnes of the porbeagle shark—another prized species—will be dumped dead into the seas around the UK. Discarding is an activity that saddens the sea angling community—as it does most reasonable people, especially the commercial fishermen who are forced to carry out such a repugnant task.
I welcome the fact that Scotland is emerging as a European leader in the pursuit of more conservation-minded approaches to commercial fishing. The announcement last month of the first real-time closure was an important milestone. I also welcome plans for a marine conservation area in Arran. That is exactly the sort of model that we need to consider elsewhere, especially in areas where endangered species breed. Perhaps it could be the Solway Firth. Most of us agree that more radical action will be required in future, whether through the Scottish Parliament or Europe, to ensure that stocks of key species thrive again.
Scotland is blessed with a rich marine environment that, for various reasons, has been abused for generations. It is arguable that sea anglers have borne the results of that abuse more than most. We have an obligation to right old wrongs and, in so doing, to restore our marine environment. We must begin again the important journey to re-establish many of our endangered species so that stock might thrive again, and to recreate the conditions in which sustainable recreational and commercial fishing can exist side by side for the benefit of all our coastal communities.
I congratulate John Scott on his motion and the interesting presentation that he organised for lunch time today. Everyone who took part found it very informative.
Approximately 50,000 visitors to Scotland take part in sea angling, bringing something like £150 million to the Scottish economy, 30 per cent of which goes to the south of Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway. It is an important industry that provides tourism income outwith the normal season—28 per cent of sea anglers who come to Scotland to participate in recreational sea angling do so at least three times a year.
Some time ago, VisitScotland undertook a survey of the hurdles that hold back the growth of sea angling. The main issues were cost, variations in accommodation and boat hiring opportunities and, most important, the quality and quantity of the fish available. That was probably the most difficult and most serious problem to address. If we do not address those issues, Scotland could continue to lose as much as £20 million per year through losing opportunities to host championships and other competitions.
The greatest concern is the loss of fish stocks, which is a problem that cannot be rectified easily. We must strike a balance between recreational and commercial fisheries. It might have to be different in different parts of Scotland. I was surprised to hear that the langoustine industry is reckoned to be discarding 15 million fish a year. It discarded 250 jobs in my area last year. I might have less sympathy for that industry than I had, but it is important to realise how the different industries affect each other. A balance must be struck between the economic needs of different industries.
The importance of recreational sea angling to the small community of Drummore in your constituency, Presiding Officer, was described in the DVD that was shown at Mr Scott's presentation today. I believe that 500 people live there—you may put me right on that. The tourism income that comes from recreational sea angling supports a small, remote, rural community that might otherwise struggle to exist.
DEFRA has issued a draft strategy that contains a number of actions through which recreational sea angling could be promoted. The proposals under consultation include consideration of species that can be fished for recreational purposes only, the designation of fisheries for recreation-only use, the introduction of a sea angling licence that would bring in income and help to regulate the activity, the development of a code of conduct that would promote best practice, and the development of management bodies. The Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network has suggested that angling centres should be promoted to conserve the sport. Does the Scottish Government have any plans to undertake a similar exercise in Scotland? We do not want to lag behind the rest of the United Kingdom.
I was disappointed by the Scottish Government's decision to shelve proposals for a marine national park. I realise that the idea was not popular in other areas of Scotland but, as I am sure you will confirm, Presiding Officer, it was popular in the Solway area. I hope that the minister will reconsider, particularly in view of the interest in the Solway area and the possibility that a marine national park would help to sustain and encourage biodiversity in the firth.
The forthcoming marine bill, which we are all looking forward to, must enable ministers to take rapid action when this important contribution to the economy in Scotland's remote and rural communities comes under threat. I know that much of the primary legislation will be enabling legislation, but I hope that when serious issues arise in certain parts of the country, ministers will have powers to take action, for example to impose the kind of conservation area that has now been imposed in Kenny Gibson's constituency. I understand from what Mr Gibson has said that achieving that has taken a long time. I hope that the forthcoming bill will address such matters.
I know that if you were sitting where we are sitting, Presiding Officer, you would be very keen to take part in the debate. It is unfortunate that you are precluded from doing so.
I thank John Scott not only for securing the debate but for bringing this issue to the Parliament's attention for, I believe, the first time. Sea angling's time has come, and sea anglers' passionate commitment to their sport is reflected in the fact that so many of them turned up at Parliament today to represent a very diverse group of organisations. Indeed, many were present at the lunch-time meeting to ask questions of the panel, of which I was a member.
The Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network is to be congratulated on the very comprehensive document that it produced for its lifelines event, which deals with a number of issues facing the sea angling community. I noted with some alarm that since 1970 the number of Clyde charter boats used for sea angling has declined from 119 to a mere three. Such a statistic shows the pressure that sea anglers are under.
As far as sea angling's relationship to commercial fishing is concerned, I think that there is a misconception about the fish species that recreational anglers catch. Having sea angled only once—after which I was, unfortunately, rather unwell—I am not personally familiar with some of the species caught by sea anglers, which include pollack, skate, conger eel, wrasse, tope, spurdog and porbeagle shark. I see Jackson Carlaw laughing at that. I should tell him that although I am the son, grandson and great-grandson of jolly Jack Tars, I am afraid that that gene has not been passed down to me.
The Scottish Government has tried to examine the issue of recreational sea angling. In fact, it has commissioned research from Glasgow Caledonian University that commenced just this year and should address the problem that we have very little objective information on the scale, character and economic impact of recreational sea angling in Scotland. Given the jobs at stake, it is vital that we increase tourism revenues in Scotland, and the role that recreational sea angling can play in that respect, particularly in some of the fragile communities that Elaine Murray mentioned, must be acknowledged if we are to reach our target of increasing such revenues by 50 per cent by 2015.
Not only has VisitScotland produced a "Fish in Scotland" brochure; it has a website promoting all types of fishing opportunities for visitors, including dedicated sections for coarse anglers and sea fishermen. However, those aspects could be promoted with a bit more gusto. We should also commend the anglers welcome scheme for providing storage boxes for rods; a daily weather forecast; freezer facilities for bait or catch; and facilities for gutting or preparing catches and for washing tackle. Moreover, the European Commission's shark action plan will be significant when it is introduced.
In my constituency, proposals for a no-take zone in Lamlash Bay went out to consultation on 21 January. For 13 or 14 years, the Community of Arran Seabed Trust—or COAST—has pressed Governments of all colours on this matter, without any effect, and I am pleased that the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment has launched the consultation. Introducing a no-take zone in Lamlash could help tremendously in showing that marine conservation can work for recreational sea anglers or fishermen of a commercial bent.
Recreational sea angling is an opportunity to provide all-year fishing in many areas of Scotland, especially the area that I represent—the Firth of Clyde. Members who attended today's meeting are keenly aware of how much sea anglers want to develop their sport. We recognise that recreational sea anglers can make an important contribution to the sustainability and economic development of coastal communities.
Like previous speakers, I am pleased to participate in the debate. I congratulate John Scott on bringing the issue before the Parliament, as sea angling gives pleasure to many people all around our coast.
All members will agree that sea angling has tremendous potential. Around Scotland—our islands and, in particular, our mainland coast—we have a pristine marine resource that is the envy of the world at large. There is no doubt that others would love to have the resource that lies almost dormant around our coast. However, that resource could be developed much more sustainably than is the case at present.
The information that we have received on sea angling indicates that people can take aboard whatever fish they catch, with few exceptions. However, it goes on to name those exceptions as salmon and sea trout, which Jamie McGrigor may find interesting. Imagine the irony of someone fishing in the middle of the Minch, catching a salmon on a rod—which is quite unusual—and finding that, lo and behold, the book says that they must put it back. I wonder how many sea anglers would comply. In addition, to whom do salmon that are caught in the middle of the Minch belong?
Small, isolated communities should be encouraged to promote facilities for sea angling, which, if developed, would generate a welcome economic boost for those fragile areas. I am sure that we can encourage Government and agencies to provide more financial support for groups, organisations and communities that are willing to participate in sea angling.
Government and agencies constantly advise communities, especially agricultural communities, to diversify into this, that and the other. Daily we hear them say that communities must diversify in order to survive. Sea angling provides communities with an opportunity to diversify into marine tourism. That would benefit other local businesses, such as providers of accommodation, catering and transport, and tackle shops; everyone has something to gain. However, if we are to conserve fish stocks in sufficient numbers and quality to attract sea anglers, we must curtail commercial fishing in these fragile areas. We need to promote fishing and to create a world-class fishery for sea anglers and tourists alike. We must make people aware of the economic importance of sea angling as part of the visitor experience.
To support sea angling further, we need to ensure that we have secure and appropriate harbour facilities, with a sound and modern infrastructure that can be accessed with complete confidence and the minimum of difficulty. There is little point in having a boat if people have to clamber over seaweed and rocks to get into it; we must have modern facilities to make access easy.
We must combine our efforts to develop this recreational marine facility. If we do so, I am confident that we can develop a world-class sea angling facility, to be enjoyed for years to come.
I did not know that John Farquhar Munro has used his net in the Minch. I always thought that he did so in the coastal areas around Skye.
I declare an interest in that I am an honorary vice-president of the Clyde Fishermen's Association, a sea angler and a freshwater angler.
I know perfectly well that stocks in the sea lochs and the open sea have badly declined in the past 20 to 30 years. Once in the 1970s, my sister and I caught 110 good-sized saithe and lithe off a rock on the Isle of Coll. We returned on the same date two years ago and caught six. That either means that we do not know how to fish any more or that the fish are not there.
Sea angling is a major contributor to the economy in the region that I represent—the Highlands and Islands. John Scott gave figures on what it produces there. I was staggered when I heard a gentleman who was representing the European Federation of Sea Angling, I think, say today that sea angling is worth £7 billion to the European economy and that it supports half a million jobs in Europe. I have just spent a week's holiday in Lanzarote, where one gets bombarded with pamphlets that ask people to go sea fishing. When a German sea angler to whom I was speaking there found out that I had come from Scotland, he said, "Ah! You really do have good sea fishing." We do not make enough use of what we take for granted on our coast, but we should. Sea fishing is worth a lot, but it could be worth much more.
Some species of fish are best caught by anglers during the winter months. Income from winter tourism can be especially important to remote communities, many of which are struggling economically. Such communities want tourism to be expanded so that there are tourists all year round. Today, I spoke to the president of the Scottish Crofting Foundation, Norman Leask, who comes from Shetland. He told me that he has many friends with boats who make a lot of extra income out of taking people fishing. Of course, the fishing around Shetland is still quite good.
I was on Orkney during its sea angling festival around two years ago. There was a huge buzz in the air and all the hotels were full, although the festival was held off-season. Local boats were hired to take out sea anglers. We ought to make more of that obvious mode of tourism. A Shetland councillor there, Adam Doull, said that it is probably the best diversification that can be found. Politicians always tell farmers and crofters that they must diversify, and sea angling is a means of diversifying on their doorsteps that they could do something about.
Scotland has a huge coastline: Argyll alone has more coastline than France. We are surrounded by the sea on all sides—surely it is possible for commercial fisheries and sea anglers to live in sustainable co-existence. Lamlash Bay is closing, and there are areas in which people have voluntarily stopped commercial fishing. The fishermen's associations must be asked to work together with sea anglers so that, as I say, commercial fisheries and sea anglers can live in sustainable co-existence.
As other members have done, I welcome the opportunity to take part in this debate, albeit briefly. I thank John Scott for securing it and for organising today's event.
The motion draws attention to a leisure interest of members in the chamber who represent many thousands of people who cannot be here, but it also gives us a chance to draw attention to the economic, tourism and business benefits that sea angling brings to our country.
I have fond memories of sea angling in my childhood holidays. I remember going to Campbeltown in particular, and to Portpatrick in Arran, and seeing people sea angling. Occasionally, I managed to get out on a boat. I remember the first fish that I caught and my excitement as a result of being connected to something live at the other end of my line. It is a very real sensation, which virtually nothing else in life can replicate, so I understand the thrill and excitement that people get from fishing, although it is sad that I have spent little time fishing during my adult life.
Even now, when I am stuck in my flat in Edinburgh of an evening—as many members are—and am flicking through what seems to be thousands of cable television channels, I often stop to watch a fishing channel. I still get a bit of a thrill from watching sea angling. I confess that I am also a devotee of Rick Stein's cooking programmes, which include the occasional shot of someone catching sea bass or whatever from a boat or the coast. Rick Stein does not return the fish to the sea; he cooks them. There is merit in that, no doubt.
Huge numbers of people gain enjoyment from sea angling. I think John Scott and other members mentioned that there are more than 200,000 sea anglers in Scotland who—unlike Rick Stein—are increasingly returning fish to the sea and adopting good conservation practices, because of the reasons that we heard about at the lunch-time event. The slogan "give fish a chance" has been attached to a programme that sea anglers are pursuing.
Like Jamie McGrigor, I have during the past 35 years travelled around the Highlands and Islands, and sea angling is obvious, wherever we travel in the area. I lived in the Orkney islands for a time, where sea angling was very much part of the community's economic activity. In Shetland and the Western Isles, sea angling is a huge part of the fabric of communities, so it would be horrible if its long-term future were threatened. Up and down the west Highland coastline, from Argyll to Durness, many communities have active sea angling populations, not just in summer but all year round.
It is obvious that sea angling provides not just great recreation for visitors, but great additional business for the people who live in those areas. A former councillor colleague of mine—and of John Farquhar Munro—who lived in Shieldaig and made most of his income from creel boats and salmon smoking, would take people out sea angling. He got an important supplement to his income while providing services locally.
It is obvious that sea angling generates income from tourism. There is income from boat hire, hotel stays and the meals, support services and equipment that are supplied. The industry is important for Scotland. Sea angling takes people to small and remote communities in my part of the world, which would struggle to survive economically if it were not for such activities. It is hugely significant.
I note the pleas of sea anglers that we should take more account of them in policy making, to ensure that we consider their interests when we think about the marine environment and, in the short term, the proposed marine bill. We must ensure that sea anglers have a place at the table with other interests so that their voices can be heard. I call on the Government to work more closely with sea anglers, to ensure that their concerns are addressed.
I urge the minister to ensure that our conservation policies are rigorous and protect species, and to consider setting up more no-take zones. Conservation is hugely important to sea anglers, to biodiversity and to the future economic prosperity of many communities that derive their income in part from sea angling. We must take the issue seriously.
An issue that has emerged from the evidence that we heard today is that perhaps we place disproportionate economic value on one part of the fishing industry and do not regard the economic benefits of the angling industry in quite the same way. Maybe we need to ask serious questions about that. I am glad that the issues have been aired in the debate.
I congratulate John Scott on securing this interesting debate. I understand that today's lunch-time session was productive and informative.
The debate has been well informed. When I learned that I would have to respond to it, I thought that I had no experience of sea angling. Then I remembered that in recent years I have fished from the shore of Loch Riddon and from a boat in Argyll, with my son, catching mackerel at times when many mackerel come into the lochs, so I have on occasion enjoyed the pleasure that Peter Peacock described—the relaxation, the fascination and the involvement in the world around us.
I stress that I regard recreational sea anglers not just as part of the community of fishermen in Scotland—fishermen and fisherwomen, I should say—but as part of the effort to conserve the best of the Scottish environment. When reading material provided for us by the Scottish Sea Anglers Conservation Network, I was struck by the desire to define some species as "recreational species". Catching a fish and then putting it back is clearly a conservation action—even if I can scarcely believe that a skate the size of the one illustrated in the publication I have in front of me can be caught and returned eight times.
The debate has produced some interesting mental images, one of which was the image of John Farquhar Munro casting from the deck of a CalMac ferry to catch a salmon—a ferry that is now, of course, better and more fairly subsidised thanks to this Government.
Not in all areas.
Mr McGrigor intervenes from a sedentary position, and another mental image from the debate is that of Mr McGrigor catching 100 fish in one go. Little wonder none was left when he came back; he had fished that part of the sea completely.
This Government does not reject the idea of a strategy for recreational sea angling. However, we are saying—I think fairly—that we need objective data to guide the development of policy. That is why we have commissioned research into the economic impact of recreational sea angling. The research will include surveys of the community that takes part in recreational sea angling. It will be steered by representatives of that community as well as by VisitScotland, by other tourism organisations and by sea fisheries officials.
In the context of that research and the developing marine bill, I hope that we will come up with some further ideas. I see no reason why we should not have a debate on recreational angling at some future stage. I cannot of course bind the Minister for Parliamentary Business, but having such a debate seems a reasonable aspiration.
My job as the Minister for Environment, and the job of my colleague the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment—who takes a particular responsibility for fisheries—is to balance the needs of a whole range of individuals and organisations. We have to find a balance, on this issue as on many others. We have to balance the needs of commercial sea fishermen, recreational sea anglers, conservation bodies and a range of other interests. As we make progress, we will have to acknowledge not only how much sea anglers want to develop their sport—which we welcome—but the other pressures, and find some way of balancing them.
I note Elaine Murray's point about the marine national park, and strong representations have been made to me from the Solway area. However, robust marine legislation will have to be put in place, and that will have to take priority at this stage. The marine legislation is being steered forward, with the involvement of recreational sea anglers, and I will say something about that in a moment.
The research that has been commissioned will consider the variations between different areas in the species that are targeted. We should have a comprehensive picture by early 2009. That will drive the development of policy and will inform the marine bill.
Recreational sea angling is not entirely about angling. There is a niche tourism market, which will contribute to our ambition of growing tourism revenues by 50 per cent by 2015. I am very impressed by the publication that I have in my hand as a visual aid. "Fish in Scotland" contains a fascinating section on sea angling. It is produced by VisitScotland and is designed to attract people to all aspects of angling in Scotland. It is also heavy with advertising; the sector clearly has a substantial economic input. I also have a brochure that supports a website dedicated to the promotion of all kinds of fishing opportunities for visitors.
VisitScotland and others have established the anglers welcome scheme, which Kenny Gibson mentioned. Participants in the scheme display a logo to show that they are willing and able to provide visitors who are interested in angling with additional facilities, such as storage boxes, a daily weather forecast, freezers, facilities for gutting and preparing fish, and facilities for washing fishing tackle. Like Mr Peacock, I am more than willing to return fish to the sea, but I am also more than willing to eat them myself. Scotland offers great opportunities for people to do that. Many of the pictures I have in front of me show that the eating can be very good.
VisitScotland is also on the angling tourism development group, which it part-funds. The group has been instrumental in developing the FishScotland website.
The focus of the emerging inshore fisheries groups is first and foremost the management of the commercial fishing sector. However, all relevant stakeholders, including recreational sea angling interests, can become involved in that work. Recreational sea anglers should have the opportunity to contribute to the work of the groups. If that is not happening in some places, I am sure that members will make representations to assist it to happen.
We look forward to the various developments that will help us, including the shark action plan, which was mentioned in the debate. We agree that all sea anglers and bodies with an interest in the matter should work together to provide tourism opportunities, to help conserve stocks and to encourage access to the outdoors. Members will know—I know that Mr Peacock knows—that our biodiversity indicators include an indicator on access to the countryside, of which access to the seashore is part.
The Scottish Sea Anglers Conservation Network has joined the sustainable seas task force, which was established by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment. The task force is making an input to the proposals for the Scottish Government's marine bill. The objective of the bill, at least in part, is the sustainable management of Scotland's coast and seas and the balancing of competing interests for the use and protection of the seas.
I return to what I said at the outset of my speech. Although there are competing interests, we all share one interest, which is the sustainable management of Scotland's coasts and seas. That will provide a range of opportunities. I am happy to endorse the activity that is the subject of the debate and to welcome the presence in the gallery of those who take part in it. The Government recognises that it should do what it can to help support and encourage recreational sea angling. I am grateful to Mr Scott for the opportunity that his debate has offered me to say that.
Meeting closed at 17:41.