- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, since the beginning of 2022, how many meetings it has held with representatives of (a) environmental and conservation organisations and (b) the fishing industry to discuss Marine Protected Areas.
Answer
Scottish Government officials met with environmental and conservation stakeholders on at least 55 occasions and with fishing stakeholders on at least 65 occasions in a range of different forums to discuss Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) from 1 January 2022 until 18 April 2025.
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 29 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it has assessed whether fishing gear purchased through Marine Fund Scotland has improved the sustainability and selectivity of bottom trawl fishing.
Answer
Applications for fishing gear, which is the subject of assistance through the Marine Fund Scotland, are considered against the aims of the Fisheries Management Strategy with further input where required from Marine Directorate fishing technology and science leads. Projects are also subject to Post Project Monitoring, where applicants are asked to confirm whether the gear has achieved the intended outcomes such as greater selectivity & sustainability.
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 12 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 210 appeals against SEPA's sea lice control measures, reported active as of March 2025, (a) have been (i) upheld and (ii) dismissed and (b) are still under consideration.
Answer
Answer expected on 12 May 2025
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 7 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) reasoning and (b) supporting evidential basis is for its decision to split the Fisheries Management and Conservation Group (FMAC) into separate commercial fishing and Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations, also known as eNGOs, groupings, and what its position is on how this decision impacts the principle of inclusivity in fisheries management, as set out in the Scotland’s Fisheries Management Strategy 2020-2030.
Answer
Answer expected on 7 May 2025
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 7 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recently published Evaluation of Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups (RIFG), which highlighted that a majority of marine stakeholders believe that the 15-year-old RIFG model is not delivering on its remit, whether it is considering other co-management models, including English IFCAs, and what the reasoning is for its decision.
Answer
Answer expected on 7 May 2025
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 7 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the definition of "natural range" in NatureScot's, Beaver Management Report - January 2023 to April 2024, (a) differs from that in the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations and (b) does not align with the precedent set by the European Commission's 2018 ruling that naturalised populations should be considered "within range" on the River Ebro, Spain.
Answer
Answer expected on 7 May 2025
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 7 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason naturalised beaver populations that arose through illegal release, accidental release or natural dispersion from authorised populations are not considered "within range" by the existing definition of "natural range" for beavers in Scotland.
Answer
Answer expected on 7 May 2025
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its inshore Marine Protected Areas and Priority Marine Features consultation, how long from the beginning of the consultation it anticipates it will take for any necessary protections to be implemented and enforced.
Answer
Developing evidence-based and effective fisheries management measures, and robustly undertaking statutory requirements, for more than 160 sites and areas within the inshore region is a complicated and challenging process. It is on a scale not previously undertaken therefore it is not possible to give a definitive timeline for how long it will take following the consultation as this will be impacted by a number of factors including: the length of the consultation, number of responses and the output of the statutory assessments. We are continuing to work at pace to ensure progress is made as quickly as possible.
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29794 by Gillian Martin on 20 September 2024, what its position is on whether it has sufficient time to consult on and adopt measures regarding inshore Marine Protected Areas and Priority Marine Features before the end of the current parliamentary session.
Answer
Scottish Ministers have statutory processes they must adhere to in developing and implementing fisheries management measures. As outlined previously in PQ S6W-29794, developing evidence-based and effective fisheries management measures for more than 160 sites and areas within the inshore region is a complicated and challenging process.
For inshore MPAs and PMFs, we are continuing to work at pace to robustly complete the necessary statutory social, economic and environmental assessments. These are currently all being undertaken and we are progressing them as a matter of urgency in preparation for the launch of the public consultation.
We will consult on the proposed fisheries management measures for inshore sites and areas following the completion of these assessments in line with the current Programme for Government.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 23 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking in rural areas, particularly in the Highlands, to improve (a) mental health services for vulnerable people and (b) adult social support.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognise that people in rural areas, particularly those who are vulnerable, can experience particular challenges in relation to their mental health, wellbeing and social care support.
Decisions around the provision of mental health services are a local responsibility and are delivered through a mixture of NHS, local authority and third sector organisations. Mental Health services will vary depending the local population needs and will be guided by clinical decision making.
While we expect service decisions to be taken locally, we have invested £66 million in our Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults since 2021. The Fund has a strong focus on prevention and early intervention and prioritises a range of ‘at risk’ groups including those people disadvantaged by geographical location (particularly remote and rural areas) with over 900 awards being made to community projects supporting people disadvantaged by geographical location (including rural areas) since its inception.
Social care funding has been increased by this government to ensure quality care is delivered in Scotland. We expect all partners involved to work together for the benefit of people supported in care across Scotland and ensure the continuity of care for all those who need it.
While we are investing almost £2.2 billion for social care and integration we do recognise that there are particular challenges faced in rural areas such as the Highlands and despite substantial funding increases, significant these challenge remains – prevention, early intervention and reform remain critical to delivering an effective, efficient and sustainable health and social care system.