Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05627 on 12 March 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05627 on 12 March 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Scottish Ministers have been invited to The Climate Group’s Clean Revolution Summit and World Summit of States and Regions from 17 to 19 June.

The four marine licences that have received consent were granted to Shetland Islands Council, Aquamarine Power (2a), Wello Oy, and Shapensay Sound. The three applications which are still under consideration are Nova Innovation, Aquamarine Power (2b & c), and Scappa Flow.

Marine Scotland had originally considered the possible impacts on 10 special protection areas with marine extensions. They are; Fetlar, Hoy, Marwick Head, Sule Skerry and Sule Stack, West Westray, Rousay, Calf of Eday, North Caithness Cliffs, Copinsay, and Hermaness, Saxa Vord, and Valla Field. A recent update of the Shapensay Sound appropriate assessment has added North Rona and Sula Sgeir special protection area to this list.

The appropriate assessment for the Shetland Islands Council application concluded that loss of 0.002% of habitat and the utilisation of a non driven pile construction method would not adversely affect the integrity of the Fetlar SPA.

The appropriate assessment for the Shapensay Sound application concluded that based on the results of the collision risk modelling for the relevant birds species there would not be an adverse affect on the integrity of the following SPAs; Hoy, Marwick Head, Sule Skerry and Sule Stack, West Westray, Rousay, Calf of Eday, North Caithness Cliffs, Copinsay, North Rona and Sula Sgeir.

The appropriate assessment for the Wello Oy application concluded that the permanent surface visibility of the device meant that potential collision risk was minimal. Potential displacement was also considered to be minimal for the relevant birds species and therefore would not adversely affect the integrity of the following SPAs; Hoy, and Marwick Head.

The appropriate assessment for the Aquamarine Power application concluded that the frequent surface visibility of the device meant that potential collision risk was minimal. Potential displacement was also considered to be minimal for the relevant birds species and therefore would not adversely affect the integrity of the following SPAs; Hoy, and Marwick Head.

The basis for the potential biological removal (PBR) figures, which takes account of the latest population trends, can be found on the Marine Scotland web-site at:

http://scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/Licensing/SealLicensing/PBR.

A Professional Development Award in Seal Management was developed and approved by the Scottish Qualifications Authority and local colleges commissioned to produce the necessary materials to deliver this course. Seal licences are issued to licensees and not individual marksmen, who are nominated by the licensees. At the start of 2011, 27 nominated marksmen had completed the relevant course and another 37 completed it during that year. 62 nominated marksmen have still to complete the relevant course.

The seal licence conditions specify that seals cannot be shot on land. In the first three quarters of 2011, 162 seals were shot near fish farms and 200 seals were shot in rivers, estuaries and near coastal netting stations. None were shot in the open sea outwith these areas.

The average number of fish farms on each licence issued under section 110 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 in (a) 2011 is 6.6 and (b) 2012 is 7.4. The largest number of fish farms on any single licence is 32 and the smallest number 1.

Marine Scotland has made no site visits specifically to assess the use of non-lethal methods of deterring seals. Instead Marine Scotland is currently supporting a number of scientific research studies on seal predation and the practicality and effectiveness of non-lethal measures in preventing this with a view to producing advice for both fisheries and fish farms.

A number of seal licences issued in 2011 and also in 2012 include, where considered appropriate, specific additional conditions restricting the numbers of seals killed during key breeding seasons. Marine Scotland will continue to monitor this issue and introduce additional restrictions if necessary.

A wide variety of non-lethal options have been reported as having been attempted in river fisheries and netting stations but this has been accompanied by little or no scientific assessment of their effectiveness. The increasing use of practical and effective non-lethal seal management measures in river fisheries and netting stations depends on progress with scientific research on seal predation and the practicality and effectiveness of non-lethal measures in preventing this. Marine Scotland is currently undertaking important research in this area with a view to producing advice for fisheries.