- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the prohibition of bottom set nets in the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas area V1a being lifted would result in bottom set net fisheries being reopened.
Answer
The prohibition of Tangle Nets in the West Coast of Scotland ICES Area VIA was agreed by the European Union Council of Ministers in December 2008 as part of a package of emergency measures to protect Cod, Haddock and Whiting in 2009. The measure had a 12 month duration, after which it was due to expire automatically. It has, however, recently been extended by a further 18 months to 30 June 2011. Once this period has elapsed, the measure will expire automatically, unless it is again extended. It is also possible that the measure will be replaced before its expiry with alternative management arrangements, depending on the speed with which a new Technical Conservation Regulation is negotiated (under co-decision with the European Parliament).
The arrangements for bringing forward proposals for a new Technical Conservation Regulation will be a matter for the newly appointed Commission to determine in the New Year. The Scottish Government will determine its position in light of any new proposals which may be forthcoming.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) porpoises, (b) seals and (c) seabirds are estimated to be killed in lost fishing nets each year.
Answer
There is no specific data available on marine mammal and seabird mortality due to lost fishing nets. However, Sea Mammal Research Unit advice, based on information from research studies on the effects of lost fishing nets, suggests that few marine mammals and birds are caught in UK waters in lost nets.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how many seals have been killed as bycatch in bottom set nets in Scottish waters in each year since 1999.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29456 on 9 December 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, if the ban on static nets were to be lifted, whether it would be considered reckless under the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2007 to set static nets in the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas area 1Va where porpoises were known to be present.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29452 on 14 December 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that incidental capture and killing will not have a negative impact on the species listed in Annex IV(a) of the EU habitats directive if the ban on static nets in the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas area IVa is lifted.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29452 on 14 December 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the arrangements made for monitoring bycatch from 1984 to 2009 were adequate to meet the requirements of the EU habitats directive.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29456 on 9 December 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been taken to ask the European Union to lift the use of bottom set nets in the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas area V1a and, if not, whether the Scottish Government will consult Scottish Natural Heritage, environmental NGOs, the wildlife tourism industry and Scottish Subaqua Club prior to such a decision being taken.
Answer
The prohibition of Tangle Nets in the West Coast of Scotland ICES Area VIA was agreed by the European Union Council of Ministers in December 2008 as part of a package of emergency measures to protect Cod, Haddock and Whiting in 2009. The measure had a 12 month duration, after which it was due to expire automatically. It has, however, recently been extended by a further 18 months to 30 June 2011. Once this period has elapsed, the measure will expire automatically, unless it is again extended. It is also possible that the measure will be replaced before its expiry with alternative management arrangements, depending on the speed with which a new Technical Conservation Regulation is negotiated (under co-decision with the European Parliament).
The arrangements for bringing forward proposals for a new Technical Conservation Regulation will be a matter for the newly appointed Commission to determine in the New Year. The Scottish Government will determine its position in light of any new proposals which may be forthcoming.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was made available for monitoring the incidental capture and killing of animals listed in Annex IV(a) of the EU habitats directive from 1984 to 2009.
Answer
The Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage fund a number of projects that provide data on incidental capture and killing of animals listed in Annex IV (a) of the Habitats Directive. Details are provided in the following table:
| Project | Funding Period | Funding (£) |
| Scottish contribution to bats and wind turbines: improving the evidence base | 2009-2012 | 20,000 |
| Use of radar to prevent bat collisions with wind turbines | 2008-2009 | 3,300 |
| Assessment methodology for determining collision impacts of marine renewable energy devices (excluding offshore wind farms) on marine birds | 2009-2010 | 15,000 |
| Assessment methodology for determining cumulative impacts of marine renewable energy devices (excluding offshore wind farms) on marine birds | 2009-2010 | 15,000 |
| Wildlife surveys: National survey of otter distribution in Scotland and Scottish Wildcat Survey | 2003-2004 and 2007-2009 | 60,000 |
| Scottish Executive contribution to UK Cetacean Bycatch Monitoring Scheme | 2007-2010 | 90,000 |
| Scottish Executive contribution to UK Cetacean Strandings Co-ordination and Investigation Programme | 2007-2010 | 90,000 |
| Scottish Marine Mammal Strandings and Investigation Programme | 2008-2011 | 210,000 |
In addition, relevant Defra-funded programmes include the UK Cetacean Bycatch Monitoring Scheme (£304,367 2005-07, £508,700 2007-10), Cetacean Standings in the UK (£2,039,787 2000-06, £1,004,126 2007-10) and the Cetaceans Scotland and England (£119,007, 1995-2000).
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how many porpoises have been killed as bycatch in bottom set nets in Scottish waters in each year since 1999.
Answer
The UK cetacean bycatch monitoring scheme (UKCBMS) is designed to meet UK and Scottish Government responsibilities under the EU Habitats Directive by monitoring incidental bycatch of cetaceans in UK fisheries. The scheme is a UK scheme funded at UK level but the Scottish Government provides support amounting to £30,000 per annum, plus the use of Marine Scotland fishery observers. It involves the stationing of observers on board a sample of UK fishing vessels to record instances of bycatch. These records are then used to estimate total bycatch in UK fisheries. This meets the requirements of the EU Habitats Directive.
One thousand, four hundred UK-registered vessels use gill and tangle (bottom set) nets, of which 20 are registered in Scotland. Eight of these Scottish vessels (40%) have been subject to monitoring under the scheme. No separate estimate of cetacean bycatch in Scottish waters has been made. However, the small scale of these fisheries in Scottish waters in comparison to the rest of the UK means that cetacean bycatch in Scottish waters is likely to be small. Seals are not the focus of this monitoring scheme but records indicate that seal bycatch is similarly small.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 8 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it proposes to implement further measures to improve the enforcement of wildlife and conservation law with the aim of ensuring that owners and managers of business and land holdings are held responsible for the actions of their staff in relation to offences.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce criminal vicarious liability in connection with wildlife crime at present. The natural justice report into Scottish wildlife crime arrangements recommended that the issue of vicarious liability should be considered by the PAW Scotland Legislation, Regulation and Guidance sub-group. I will consider any advice on this matter which the sub-group provides.
