One in three salmon farms already operate responsibly in marine protected areas (MPAs), which currently cover Reported: 37 per cent of Scottish waters. Salmon farming • Many of these MPAs were designated after the farms had already been established in the area and there should not be allowed is no evidence that Salmon farms cannot continue to operate within MPAs for many years to come. in marine • Previous proposals to cover 10% of Scotland’s waters protected areas. with highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) would ban virtually all human activity from these, without any evidence they are appropriate or provide an overall better option to existing marine protected areas. • Salmon Scotland has warned HPMAs could put jobs in fragile coastal communities at risk and undermine the government’s vision of a ‘blue economy’. 20 21 Farming Responsibility Reported versus reality Reality: • Salmon farms cover 0.07% of Scotland’s waters, or an area roughly half the size of Edinburgh airport, yet our economic contribution to Scotland is worth £766million (GVA) a year.