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Marine environmental restrictions could hit local economy            22/1/13

Fears that the Western Isles fishing industry faces disaster from potential restrictions to protect wide sea areas under environmental designations has been raised with fisheries minister Richard Lochhead.

A shellfish processing factory could be forced to close, fishermen thrown out of work and millions of pounds worth of catches lost if the plans, targeting rich fishing grounds in the Minch, go-ahead warns the local industry.

Richard Lochhead says a network of marine protected zones would safeguard the seas and protect dolphins, sharks and seabirds.

But coastal fishermen highlight they work local fishing grounds sustainably yet are being overwhelmed by conservation measures and potential restrictions.

A hugely controversial case is advance plans to designate the Sound of Barra as a marine special area of conservation (SAC).

Government agency Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) recommends the conservation designation because the area hosts important colonies of common seals as well as reefs and sandbanks that support many species.  

The massive volume of local outrage has resulted in the Scottish Government commissioning an independent review of the scientific case.

But islanders demand that the actions of SNH and Scottish government officials should also be thoroughly investigated.

They feel that processes were breached and that the way designations are being imposed “requires a serious shake-up.”

However, Richard Lochhead urges the community to get involved with the management strategy if the fishing grounds are officially designated.

Mr Lochhead said:  “We want the community to be in charge of managing those features and we’ve taken no decision yet to formally designate or otherwise the Barra SAC.”

Mr Lochhead added: “Designation, of course, doesn’t mean anything changing anything other than recognising there’s some value in that marine feature.

“What happens after designation is you sit down with the communities and you work out whether there has to be any measures within the management plan.

“Our preference would be for local communities to be in the driving seat of any management plan.

“However, we are not even that far down the road yet because we have taken no decision  on any formal designation.

“The next stage is going to be speaking to the community about how we can work in partnership with them to give them more control over their own environmental future.”