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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05609 on 9 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.

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 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.

In both 2011 and 2012 licence applications were only considered for fish farm which were already registered by Marine Scotland. If a new fish farm site is established during the year they must either apply for their own seal management licence or apply to be added to an existing seal management licence, if they wish to manage seals.

The potential biological removal (PBR) figures for common seals in two seal management regions were marginally reduced. In one of these regions seal numbers had increased and in the other seal numbers had reduced.

Three staff posts are available, one each at B2, B1 and A4 grades respectively, to administer and monitor the seal licensing scheme. It should be noted, however, that seal licensing represents significantly less than 50% of each of their duties.

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.

No reports of the illegal killing of seals were received by Marine Scotland in 2011.