Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is committed to increasing sustainable economic activity and employment across all regions of Scotland, including in Dunoon and the Cowal area. Tackling economic challenges in Argyll and Bute is a key priority for the Scottish Government’s economic development agency in the area, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which does so by offering a wide range of support mechanisms to businesses and communities. In fact I visited Hunter’s Quay ferry terminal, Hunter’s Quay holiday village in Dunoon and Drimsynie Estate holiday village in Lochgoilhead on 8 June. As an example of this support, over the past three years HIE has invested around £4 million into the area, generating additional investment of approx. £15 million. This significant level of support includes £1.9 million into developing offices at the Sandbank Business Park, £0.9 million in the Portavadie Marina which leveraged a further £8 million investment into the area, a £300,000 contribution towards the £1.7 million redevelopment of the Dunoon Burgh Hall, and £250,000 investment into the Firstport Social Challenge Programme to enable social enterprise start-ups. These investments and improvements to business conditions have contributed to the unemployment rate in the Dunoon and Bute travel to work area falling from 3.3% in June 2014 to 2.3% in 2015. The Scottish Government also works close with local partners to further support local economic growth. Following a meeting with the Deputy First Minister on 29 October 2014, Argyll and Bute Council established an economic forum to consider specific local opportunities and challenges. Scottish Enterprise, HIE, and senior officials represent the Scottish Government on the forum. We will continue to engage with local stakeholders in driving forward initiatives aimed at increasing sustainable economic growth and tackling unemployment.

Scotland’s Town Centre First Principle agreed with COSLA, together with the range of measures set out in the Town Centre Action Plan, set the conditions and underpin activity designed to tackle key issues such as empty shops, diversify town centre offer and thereby attract a range of businesses and services to locate there. We also deliver the most competitive business tax environment in the UK, with two in five properties in Scotland paying zero or reduced rates under the Scottish Government’s Small Business Bonus Scheme and relief also available under Fresh Start. Local authorities remain responsible for local economic development. They are best placed to respond to local circumstances, working with their communities to develop the right vision for their town centres, in partnership with the wider public, private and community sectors.

All scallop dredge operations have a negative impact on the seabed to some extent. The estimated total impact on the annual revenue of the 103 boats potentially affected by the measures is approximately £300,000. This equates to 1.6% of the estimated annual gross revenue of around £18.6 million. However some boats may be disproportionally affected. Where this is the case support is available for vessel diversification through the European maritime and fisheries fund. Marine Scotland will provide advice on this as requested. Since 11 June 2015 there have been two meetings with the Scottish fishermen’s federation to discuss the proposals on 17 June and 6 July.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-26571 on 20 August 2015. 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

East Mingulay SAC was designated as a special area of conservation (SAC) in 2011 to protect both stony and biogenic reef habitats. This includes 100% of the only known lophelia pertusa reefs in UK inshore waters.

The avoidance of physical disturbance and abrasion by fishing gear of the reef habitats and associated species is the primary consideration. Biogenic reefs are very fragile and even accidental impact can lead to irreversible degradation. A further consideration has been the potential risk that the reef habitats are subject to smothering by sediments stirred up by adjacent trawling activity. The proposed measures are considered to be the best approach to minimise the risk of direct or indirect impacts from trawling on any of the reef habitats, and to minimise risks posed to the biogenic habitats by static gear.

The proposed measures will regulate fishing activities to protect the marine environment. They will ensure that the conservation objectives of each marine protected area are furthered.

The advice from Scottish natural heritage (SNH) with regards to the protected features at each site was either to remove, avoid or reduce limit pressure from various fishing activities. SNH did not specify how the advice should be met. The measures proposed are designed to further the conservation objectives by minimising risk to the most sensitive habitats and species, and reducing risk to others. Where there are features with a recover conservation objective or they are the only example in the MPA network a more precautionary approach has been adopted.

Since April 2013 Marine Scotland has offered a range of opportunities for engagement at events to fishermen, Industry representatives, and any other stakeholders at locations throughout Scotland. This included 14 drop-in events at key locations during the 2014 consultation on these management measures to allow stakeholders to share their views with marine Scotland and Scottish natural heritage representatives.

The environmental report considered the implications of the various management approaches that were consulted on. This also considered the implication of 100% displacement of scallop dredging from each marine protected area. This report can be found at: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0046/00464215.pdf

The amount of displacement that would occur is considered necessary to ensure that the conservation objectives of each marine protected area are furthered. It is inevitable that a reduction in the footprint of an activity within a marine protected area will result in an increase of effort in other areas unaffected by the management measures. The environmental report assumed that most effort would be displaced onto existing fishing grounds already modified by the activity. Discussion with the fishing industry in early 2014 indicated that there are few, if any, unexploited fishing grounds in Scottish inshore waters. The conclusion was that this displacement is not likely to have a significant adverse effect on the environment outwith the marine protected areas.

Following requests from a number of stakeholders, Scottish Ministers extended the period for representations to 9 August 2015. Implementation of the new orders is now scheduled for 1 November 2015.