22ND MEETING OF THE SCOTTISH COASTAL FORUM

HELD AT VICTORIA QUAY, EDINBURGH ON THE 15TH JULY 2004 .

Present:

Capt. Tony Wilks (Chairman)

Dr Scot Mathieson, SEPA

Mr Derek McGlashan, CoastNET and CBI

Dr Sandy Downie, Scottish Natural Heritage

Mr Steve Cummings, Sportscotland

Mr Mike Browne, BGS

Apologies:

Capt. Jim Simpson, Chair, Coastal Strategy Sub-group

Mr Neil Black, Visit Scotland

Dr Richard Luxmoore, LINK

Mr Brian Simpson, SQS

Dr Fiona Gowland, Scottish Fishermen's Federation

Mr Maf Smith, Scottish Renewables

Mr Ian Pritchard. Crown Estate

Mr Neil Ferguson, Scottish Enterprise

Mr Mike Comerford, MCA

Mr John Rees, BGS

Mr George Dobie, BPA

In Attendance:

Mr Manson Wright, SEERAD-CANH (Secretary)

Mr Stephen Midgley, SCF Coastal Project Officer.

Prof. Bill Ritchie, Aberdeen University/Chair of SIFAG

Mr George Lyall, Planning, Scottish Executive.

Mr Malcolm Duce, SEERAD-CANH

Ms Gabby Pieraccini, SEERAD Inshore Fisheries Branch.

The plenary was truncated to allow Mr Allan Wilson MSP, Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development to receive the SCF document " A Strategy for Scotland's Coast and Inshore Waters." Form Captain Jim Simpson , Chairman of the SCF Strategy sub-group.

Chairman's opening remarks

Tony Wilks thanked members for their attendance at the launch and the meeting. He welcomed Bill Ritchie, George Lyall and Malcolm Duce.

Apologies for absence (see above)

Minutes of Meeting held on 25th March 2004 (Paper SCF/22/1)

The minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting.

4. Matters Arising

4.1 Both Scottish Water (Jon Hargreaves) and UKOOA (Mick Borwell) were invited to the launch event for the SCF strategy. No responses were received from either organisation.

4.2 The first copy of the annual letter to the Minister was sent on 4 June 2004 , this detailed the work that the Scottish Coastal Forum has undertaken over the past two years and extended an invitation to the launch of the SCF strategy for Scotland's coasts and inshore waters event.

4.3 The Project Officer update includes a section on the strategic framework.

4.4 An invitation to speak at the next plenary was extended to Gabby Pieraccini from the SEERAD Inshore Fisheries Branch.

5. Presentation from Gabby Pieraccini, Head of SEERAD Inshore Fisheries Branch

Why do we need a strategic review?

· Decision makers distant from process

· Reactive decision making

· Out of date prohibitions

· Prohibition, not management

· Fisheries conflicting with other marine priorities

The Scottish Fisheries Inshore advisory group

§ Fishermen's organisations (11)

§ COSLA and Highland & Islands Enterprise

§ SNH, Seafish and SE Link

§ SFPA, FRS and SEERAD

§

Objectives for Inshore Fisheries

· BIOLOGICAL: to conserve, enhance and restore commercial stocks in the inshore and its dependent ecosystem;

· ECONOMIC: to optimise long term and sustained economic return to inshore fishing communities, and to promote quality initiatives;

· ENVIRONMENTAL: to maintain and restore the quality of the inshore marine environment for fisheries and for wildlife;

· SOCIAL: to recognise historical fishing practices and traditional ways of life in managing inshore fisheries, to interact proactively with other activities in the marine environment in managing inshore fisheries, and to manage change.

· GOVERNANCE: to develop and implement a transparent, accountable and flexible management structure that places fishermen at the centre of the decision-making process on the management of inshore fisheries.

Managing Inshore Fisheries

Local objectives and management plans to be developed by fisheries managers

Local objectives must be consistent with national objectives.

Variety of potential local objectives e.g.:

- to develop a lobster hatchery or V-notch scheme to improve stocks;

- to improve the quality of nephrops catch to supply a particular market;

- to protect maerl beds which act as nursery ground for scallops;

- to agree access arrangements between different sectors;

Local Area Management Groups

· Fishermen

· Which fishermen?

· Just fishermen? Processors?

· Environmental interests?

· Scientists?

· Other advisers?

· Other community members?

· Other marine users?

· Observers or "proper" members?

When Things will happen

Consultation ends: August 2004

Finalise proposals: March 2005

Begin setting up groups: Summer 2005

Primary Legislation: Spring 2006

Questions

SIFAG was set up in 1999, with the view of managing inshore fisheries (out to 12nm). The areas of responsibility for the management groups proposed are shown on Map 1. The management groups will come up with the plans and SEERAD will implement them.

ScM - Within the SCF strategy the oil and gas industry state that a single representative body for fisheries as requisite for good management. SIFAG goes some way to creating this. It also has the potential to deliver Biodiversity Action plans in conjunction with SNH.

Fishermen need to be involved and seen as taking the lead, not imposed by government

SD - Broader environmental objectives are required as the ones listed are too narrow?

GP - The objectives cannot be too broad as fishermen lose interest if its not specifically directed towards fishermen.

MW - The strategy seems very exclusive only recognising fishermen's interests in the marine environment?

GP - Fishermen want and need to get their own house in order before they can deal effectively with external stakeholders?

BR - 'initiatives' from fishermen are not explicitly mentioned?

GP - The strategy is still in its developmental stage, looking to get fishermen's perceptions/attitudes from reactive to proactive. When the fishermen have a more proactive attitude then initiatives can be developed from within the industry as part of this strategy.

SD - processors have not been involved so far?

GP - They do not have as much power when compared to whitefish processors.

MW - The extension of planning powers - much of the SIFAG work looks as if it is part of what maritime planning is about, or what is perceived as planning in the marine environment.

How will the strategy be enforced?

GP - SFPA will be involved,

SM - The coastguard agency, will they be more involved with Fisheries management? Creating a more integrated coastal and marine management agency?

GP - MCA are already carrying out some functions but they have no statutory role in fisheries management.

6. Project Officers Update

6.1 Response to the Strategic Framework for the Marine Environment

SNH and Sport Scotland questioned the purely marine aspect of the title. The title should be maritime to suggest the terrestrial aspects of the management, as Integrated Coastal Zone Management is part of the consultation paper. Organisation responses will reflect this.

6.2 Scottish Coastal Partnerships

Will the development of the affiliation of the Scottish Coastal Partnerships be re-inventing the wheel? The PO meetings could be a more formal part of the SCF programme and the links between the two groups more formalised. The SCF must maintain its national emphasis and the work programme will be determined by the funding bodies.

6.3 SCF work programme

All non-SCF actions should be taken out of the draft work programme. The Work programme and the strategy implementation plan should be seen as separate documents. More work needs to be done on both so that they are integrated and compliment each other but they should remain separate.

7. Members update and AOCB

ScM - The WFD Characterisation document is now out for consultation.

SD - The review of the EU marine strategy is ongoing. Stakeholders conference is being undertaken in Rotterdam in November 2004. Planning from Fish-farming consultation is underway at the moment.

BR - The questions posed within the strategy on page 11, will they be answered by the consultation process?

ScM - Some of the answers are provided within the text of the strategy. The questions were not seen as questions for the consultation.

SD - the strategy is a challenge to government. After 12 years experience of the voluntary approach to ICZM in Scotland.

SCF agreed that the consultation on a strategic framework for Scotland's Marine environment should not be skewed by the Coastline Park and Marine National Park questions.

DM - due to busy schedules, meetings between senior CBI representatives have not occurred. Due to this there has been no agreement on policy of roles within CBI on coastal matters. CoastNet has recently launched its good practice guide on the website.

7. Dates of next meeting

15th September FRS Marine Lab Aberdeen (Confirmed)

16th December Provisional date, venue to be arranged.