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NA H-EILEANAN AN IAR MSP, Alasdair Allan, and SNP Councillor for Barra, Vatersay, Eriskay and South Uist, Donald Manford have reacted to the Scottish Government’s decision to designate a marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC) near Mingulay and to open a scientific consultation on a similar designation in the Sound of Barra.
Dr Allan said that people in Barra had ‘clearly indicated their concerns’, and he would be seeking further information from the Government regarding these. However, he welcomed the advice to Ministers that creel fishing, amongst other things, should not be affected by any designation in the valuable fishing grounds in the Sound of Barra.
Donald Manford said that the shocking announcement from the Minister for Environment and Climate Change is a bitter disappointment to the campaign group and the community which has to come to terms with the detrimental impact these designations inevitably have.
Alasdair Allan said: “My constituents have expressed their opposition to both proposed designations, which come under the European habitats legislation. The campaign by people in Barra has, I hope, had an impact on some of what was announced today by the Environment Minister.
"Today’s announcement indicates that the East Mingulay marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC) will be 8% smaller than originally proposed. I would like to think that this reflects representations made by fishermen.
"More significantly, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have today indicated their advice to ministers on how the SAC should operate at East Mingulay. This recommends that creel fishing should only be restricted above specific reefs. Demersal trawling and dredging would be prohibited within the site boundary.
"As local MSP, I have asked the Environment Minister to recognise that the creel fishery in east Mingulay is a valuable resource, and one which is doing no harm to habitats.
"A scientific consultation period will now open on a possible SAC designation in the Sound of Barra. Again SNH have already offered advice to ministers about how any designation might operate.
"They advised that there should be no impact on creel fishing. The Environment Minister has also indicated that demersal trawling and dredging could be allowed to continue if they occur away from the most sensitive areas of habitat.
"I have asked for a meeting with the Environment Minister, Stewart Stevenson, seeking more detail about the management of the East Mingulay mSAC, now that it is going to be designated, and to continue to make clear my constituents’ opposition to a designation in the Sound of Barra."
Donald Manford said: “Following complaints to the minister regarding SNH and Marine Scotland failing to abide by due process, withholding information and failing to provide answers to questions, the minister indicated that he would meet with the campaign group to address our concerns. It is with a deep sense of betrayal that this information is received.
“We are now to endure a further shameless sham of consultation on the determination to designate the Sound of Barra. This is an area which contains a large fishery, a major fishery harbour and processing plant, two ferry ports, the electricity link to Barra and Vatersay and the island’s airport, with the potential to ruthlessly cripple the island’s economy and community.
“During a time when services are being cut through lack of resources, it is an enduring scandal that ever increasing resources are being directed to designations and organisations which inflict demands and requirements that destroy enterprise and jobs.
“What is so distressing is the remorseless attacks which makes the very environment and wildlife which is so precious to us, the symbol of tyranny.”
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