Question reference: S5W-21070
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 17 January 2019
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Current status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 January 2019
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider reintroducing a ban on fishing within three miles of the coast.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a national three-mile-limit on mobile gear fishing.
The Scottish Government takes the enforcement of sustainable fisheries management and protection of the marine environment extremely seriously. It is important that everyone who uses Scotland’s substantial marine resources, and derives benefit from them, does so responsibly.
The Scottish Government is investing £1.5 million in its Inshore Fleet Modernisation Programme. The first phase, being rolled out this year, will see higher risk vessels fitted with appropriate equipment to enable tracking of fishing activity and location, in real time. The remaining under 12 metre fleet will be rolled out in 2020.